


Rescue me - When a dragon saves a puppy (a YGO puppyshipping - Seto x Joey - fanfic)

by Evi1990



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: A little bit of angst at times, And a little bit of lemon as well, But not too much angst though, Drama, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, M/M, Romance, Slow Burn, Still many fluffy parts, puppyshipping - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:08:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 190,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28045947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evi1990/pseuds/Evi1990
Summary: Joey Wheeler has made a decision - he wants to die. Battered by abuse, he no longer sees any meaning in his life. But just as he's about to take the final step, his worst enemy Seto Kaiba gets in his way - and offers him a deal he can't refuse. Will Kaiba succeed in dissuading Joey from his plan?~~~~Hello everyone :)I am glad that you came across my FF. At the beginning of each chapter you will find a song that inspired me during the writing process. Each chapter will have its own song - however, this is not a classic songfic, but serves me purely as inspiration and "mood base" :) The FF will have Lemon parts in later chapters.New chapters on Fridays - every week! (UPDATE 19.02.2021: CHANGED TO ONCE A WEEK)Despite the dark initial theme, this FF is not intended to be a classic darkfic - the focus will primarily be on the development of Seto's and Joey's relationship, accompanied and influenced by past and present experiences of both characters. I'm also a fan of happy endings - so that is a promise I'll give to you, and just like Seto Kaiba, I keep my promises ;)
Relationships: Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler & Kaiba Seto, Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler/Kaiba Seto
Comments: 22
Kudos: 113





	1. Rescue me... from bad decisions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> Rescue My Heart - Liz Longley
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/4mdmOqTv0ZBeHNjT2Pf63n  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J78HcPJwl1M
> 
> I can't breath any faster  
> All the air I wanna capture  
> It's heavy and it hurts my head  
> If you found me  
> Would you save me?
> 
> ~~~~

He took one more deep breath before summoning all his courage, climbing over the parapet and coming to a halt on the small ledge. Trembling, he held on to the metal railing behind him. He had to swallow - just one step and he would fall about 25 stories down. The wind whipped around his nose and despite the long coat he had put on today, he felt a little chilly. But this could also have been due to the inexorable rain that had begun to rain down on him without mercy a few minutes earlier.

Again he took a deep breath and tried to calm down. So this was it, the moment he had planned for so long. In a few minutes all the pain would be gone, and he would be no more. Sometimes he wondered what would come after that, after death. Are we reborn, is death also the beginning of new life, as the Buddhists believe? Or will it end up in hell after all? Or - and he didn't know whether he should find that good or bad - was there simply nothing in the end?

No matter what it was, what awaited him - it had to be better than life. His decision was clear, he would do it. After all, he had even written farewell letters, to Yugi, Tristan, Téa, to his sister Serenity, even to his scumbag of a father, who played no small part in the fact that he was now standing here and wanted to put an end to his life. He should know what had driven him to it, should know how much guilt he was carrying. He once had the chance to be a good father, but he blew it. A good father should protect his son from the bad things, not inflict them on him, at least not intentionally.

The memories of what happened and the pain that came with it caught up with him. No, that would never stop, he had to do it. Would he feel much when he hit the hard ground? Even if he hoped not, he had to take the short moment of physical pain, if he’d even feel it long enough to still care, to escape the enduring, physical and emotional pain of life. It was time. It was right. It was the only option he had.

One last time he let his gaze wander into the distance, over the roofs of the night, the lights of the city. Because of the darkness, he could hardly see the people on the streets, but he knew that they were moving like ants beneath him. Everyone went about their usual daily lives. In the distance he could make out a helicopter somewhere. He fixed this point in the sky. Strange, was it just his imagination or were the sounds and the helicopter coming towards him? And even if it was, maybe it was on its way to the hospital that was nearby. And indeed - the helicopter flew in his direction. The closer it came, the louder the sounds became. He could only hope that the people in it would not see him.

He was relieved for a moment as the helicopter flew over him, and just as he was about to get back to why he was here in the first place, he noticed that the sounds of the helicopter did not get any further away. On the contrary - were they coming closer? Carefully he turned his head and could not believe what he saw. The roof of the skyscraper on which he was standing was not made as a helipad, but he could sense that someone was coming out of the helicopter via some kind of ladder. Great, that wasn’t going as planned at all. He wanted to die alone, and it wasn't part of his plan either to have to justify his decision to anyone now.

"What the hell do you think you are doing, Wheeler?" Of all the millions of people who could have gotten off that helicopter, it had to be him. Joey strengthened his grip on the railing a little. What was the other one doing here?

"Fuck off, Kaiba. This has nothing to do with you.”

As the sound of the helicopter slowly faded away, Joey hoped for a moment that he would be alone again. But this hope was shattered shortly afterwards when Kaiba spoke up again - apparently he had only sent the helicopter away.

"You're not wrong, this would normally have nothing to do with me and I would not care what you do or don't do with your life. But your stupid friends dragged me into it. And what do you think the press would say if I, Seto Kaiba, CEO of KaibaCorp, willfully watched some stupid mutt throw himself into the depths?”

"Wait, what...?!" Joey had trouble following him. "They sent you?"

"Sort of. They showed me your cute little suicide notes and begged me to help."

"But why the hell did they send _you_?" Joey was upset with his friends. What were they thinking, dragging his worst enemy into all this? He could not blame them for trying to help. But him? Really?

Kaiba shrugged his shoulders. "You know, I have ways and means of tracking down just about every person on this planet. Of course, I initially declined politely. I usually have much better things to do with my time than to help a little puppy."

"You fucking piece of..."

"But," Kaiba interrupted Joey, "your stupid friend Taylor aparently didn't want to leave it there. It's actually quite cute how he tried to threaten me. Like that's gonna change anything." Kaiba's monologue was interrupted only for a short moment by his contemptuous snort before he continued. "Well, and then he said something like, if I don't help, he'll go straight to the press and tell them about me having been not willing to help."

"Honestly, Kaiba, you expect me to believe that? Since when do you care what anyone in this world thinks of you?" Joey's eyes are still on the horizon. Whatever Kaiba had in mind, under no circumstances should he be tempted not to carry out his plan.

Kaiba, who was standing just a few metres behind Joey, crossed his arms in front of his body, and with his eyebrow raised, he declared, "Oh, you got it wrong, mutt. I don’t. But what I do care about is my company. What do you think it would mean for my company's image and success if I was accused of letting someone die and intentionally watching them to do so if I have all the power to stop them? Sure, my lawyers would certainly settle it for me from a legal point of view, but who buys games from someone who lets others jump to their death?"

It was too much for Joey. That was the last straw. With verve he climbed back over the railing to the supposedly safe roof of the high-rise building and with quick steps and a gloomy look he walked towards Kaiba. The brunet was irritated for a moment, but immediately regained his composure and prepared himself for the blond’s attack, which would now inevitably follow.

"Who do you think you are, Kaiba? You are the biggest asshole I have ever met in my life and believe me, I have met many assholes, but none as complacent and self-centred as you. Can you even try to imagine why someone would want to die voluntarily, why I want to die?!" Joey was angry, so angry. He gave the taller one, who was now standing right in front of him, a powerful push so that he had to take a step backwards to avoid being knocked over completely. But he didn't fight back and let Joey continue.

Joey didn't even notice how tears joined the raindrops on his cheeks. He was breathing heavily and irregularly and he struggled increasingly not to push Kaiba off the roof first. His thoughts were one big chaos and the many memories he had tried so hard to repress in the past came back with full force. No, he could not allow them to take him over again, so he went on the attack once more.

"Can you imagine even a tiny bit what it is like to be abused and mistreated for years? What it is like to have no way out? No expensive lawyers who would fight for you?" Joey felt like he was going crazy. He started laughing hysterically before he continued, "Ha, what am I asking anyway. As if the great Seto Kaiba, Mr. I-could-not-care-less himself, had even a hint of emotion in him. Tell me, is there a heart beating in your chest at all, or is there just a big chunk of ice?" Kaiba didn't make a face, his eyes were unfathomable and formed into slits, his arms again crossed in front of his body. Joey's body was bent over, ready to attack again, with brute force if necessary. But when Kaiba didn't answer, he straightened up and said contemptuously, "I thought so. And now leave me alone, this is none of your business, nor is it likely to move you when I am gone. The truth is, I'm probably doing you a big favour anyway, ain’t I."

Joey took a few steps backwards before he turned around and climbed over the parapet again. 'Yes, that's it, just keep going like that', Joey told himself. It was as if all anger had disappeared from him. He was ready. He first released one hand from the railing before he let go with the second hand. Now he just had to bend forward a little. Just a little more...

And just as he was about to fall, a hand grabbed the sleeve of his coat and pulled him back onto the roof with full force. He crashed onto the hard concrete floor. Above him stood Kaiba, who looked at him hatefully.

"As I said before," Kaiba began, "I cannot let this happen. So I'll propose a deal."

Joey, still lying on the floor, stroked his hip and his butt, on which he had just so rudely landed. A deal? What kind of ridiculous suggestion was that? And to add to Joey's confusion, Kaiba added, "Six months."

Joey straightened up again. Damn, Kaiba blocked his way to the parapet. No chance, there was no getting through now. And what the hell was Kaiba talking about?

"Damn it, Kaiba, can you stop talking in riddles and get down to brass tacks? Your stupid suggestions, which I have no idea what they mean, gimme a headache.”

Was Joey wrong, or could he perceive a brief smile on Kaiba's face? If it was there, it was gone as quickly as it had come.

"That you wouldn't be able to follow me is really no surprise. Street mutts are not that intelligent after all.” Angry, Joey growled and had to control himself not to sound like a real mutt.

"Then would you be so kind to enlighten me, what the fuck it is you want to tell me? What deal, what six months?" Impatiently, Joey ran his hair through. Why hadn't he just jumped before that scumbag showed up here?

"Very well. As you may have understood by now, this is about protecting my company. If the whole thing really does go to the press at some point, I must at least be able to credibly demonstrate that I was seriously trying to stop you from your suicide plans. So here's the deal: over the next six months I will take a series of measures and actions to convince you not to do it. If you still want to die in six months, I will not stop you. And before you get angry now: you don't really have a choice. If you do not agree, I will do it anyway. I have both the means and the ways. I just think it might be a little more comfortable for you if you agree voluntarily."

Although Joey was still very confused as to what it all meant now, he was able to follow him to some extent. And as hard as it was for him - Kaiba was right. He would do everything to protect his company, he had made that very clear. And if he didn't agree voluntarily, Kaiba would probably just put him away or something. Frustrated, Joey drove himself through his hair again. He didn't want to give his consent, and he certainly didn't want to admit to Kaiba that he had him in his hand. Damn, how could the plan he had made for today have gone so fundamentally wrong?

Kaiba's lips again indicated a slight smile - but the spiteful kind - when he saw that Joey obviously understood that his back was against the wall. "Then it's decided," Kaiba said. "Today is November 6th, so our deal is valid until May 5th next year inclusive." He took his mobile phone out of his jacket pocket to call the pilot of the helicopter, and only moments later Joey again heard the noise of the engines coming closer and closer until the helicopter flew directly above them again. Once again the ladder was lowered and Kaiba looked at him expectantly. "As I said," he shouted to the blond, "we can do this the hard way or the easy way. Your choice."

"You damn bastard," Joey gritted his teeth, saying that more to himself than to Kaiba. But he knew he had no choice - at least not now. So he walked towards the ladder with his head held high. As he reached for it, Kaiba held him by the sleeve of his coat again for a moment. Joey had to get closer to him so he could understand what he was saying.

"One thing, if you think I don't understand what it means to be treated so badly, you are wrong. I understand it very well. But there are people who break because of it, and others who come out of it stronger. Everyone chooses his own path."

Joey frowned for a moment. He could understand it? He has never heard such nonsense in his whole life. That could not possibly be true - could it?

Kaiba let go of him and was the first to climb up the ladder to the helicopter. He looked down at Joey one last time, and added, "Don't think there's anything more to this deal, though. As I said before, this is about protecting my company, and only about that, as I can't allow such a big damage to my image."

And there he was again, Kaiba as cold as ice just as Joey knew him. Had he really felt for a short moment that Kaiba could have some kind of... compassion? Ridiculous! Shaking his head, Joey climbed up the ladder to the helicopter where Kaiba had already taken a seat. When Joey arrived and took his place next to Kaiba, he handed him a headset before he gave the pilot the signal to fly off.

"Where are we going?" Joey asked. Without giving him a glance, Kaiba replied, "To my mansion.” Joey was shocked - why the hell should he be going to Kaiba's mansion? When Joey wanted to protest, the brunet explained, rolling his eyes, "Surely you don't really think I'm going to fly you back to the shithole you came from? As I understand it, your drunken, no-good father seems to be one of the reasons I had to get involved in this deal in the first place.”

" _You_ had to get involved in _this_ deal? You made the deal yourself, asshole!"

"Correct, but not because I love helping street mutts so much, if you remember."

That being said, Kaiba ended the discussion. Joey was angry, but more at himself. His plan always sounded so good to him, but obviously he hadn't planned how vehemently his friends would try to save his life. Actually, he hadn't expected that anyone would find him at all. But how...

"Hey, Kaiba, how did ya find me, anyway? I did not mention in any letter where I want to do it. Even took great care not to give a clue. So?"

Kaiba had to roll his eyes again. Annoyed, he answered Joey's question, "Are you really that stupid, Wheeler? I have contacts. I've tracked your mobile phone. And then it was pretty easy."

Goddamn, how stupid was Joey to bring his mobile phone? Like he needed it then. But it was just a habit to take it with him when he left the house. That became the doom for him now. Sighing, he looked out the window and watched the city lights pass by. What would be in store for him in the coming weeks and months? Would Kaiba throw him into some dungeon? What nonsense, Kaiba had a mansion, not a castle, and we were no longer living in the Middle Ages. Nevertheless, Joey could not let go of the uncertainty about what would happen. His only consolation was that Kaiba would let him go in six months. Even though six months could be a very long time...

The flight to the Kaiba mansion did not really take long and the helicopter landed on the designated place on the roof. The engines were switched off and everyone left the helicopter. "Follow me," Kaiba told Joey, who reluctantly followed him.

After endless stairs, lifts and corridors, Kaiba and Joey came to a halt in front of a door. Kaiba pulled a card through a slot next to the door, which then opened with a click. Joey entered and was immediately surprised - behind the door was a whole apartment, with a bathroom, a large bedroom and a living room. It was rather spartanly furnished and was probably used as guest accommodation. Kaiba handed him a key card. "Here, this will open the door for you. You don't have to lock it, once the door is closed, you can only get back in with an unlocked key card.”

"You... you're not locking me up?" Joey asked, somewhat perplexed. With a cool smile on his lips, Kaiba replied, "I can hardly imagine you changing your mind in six months, if you don't have privacy now or if I lock you up in a cellar hole.”

"Ah, and where was my privacy when you tracked my phone," Joey pointed out in annoyance.

"Sometimes the ends justify the means, mutt. And don't worry, the corridors and all outside areas are equipped with cameras, so if you try to escape my security will notice. What you do in this apartment is your business, though." So the taller one turned around and started walking towards the door.

"Wait, what... what's gonna happen now?"

Kaiba opened the door before he said, "I'll let you know. Good night." And with that being said, he closed the door, leaving Joey confused, his thoughts a chaotic mess.

~~~~

With quick steps Kaiba made his way to his office. Whenever he was not in the company, one could most likely meet him there. With routine hand movements he opened the door, the only one in the mansion not yet converted to the key card system, slipped through, sat down at his desk and turned on the desk lamp. For a brief moment he closed his eyes and enjoyed the silence, letting his thoughts run free.

Sighing, he realized that he had no idea what would happen next. He himself had been pushed into a corner by the idiot dumbheads Wheeler so proudly called his friends. He had to do everything he could to keep this whole situation under wraps, he couldn't let the press get wind of it and possibly put KaibaCorp in a bad light. And he had to protect Mokuba, because such damage to his image could also have negative consequences for him. Kaiba first informed the security staff about the situation. He would have to have all of them them sign NDAs*, just to be on the safe side. He also informed ‘the dweeb patrol' that he had kept his part of the deal - at least for the time being. He then told an assistant to inform the kitchen and other operational areas of the house that they would probably have a guest for some time. He himself would not be able to avoid playing the babysitter for the mutt himself if he had to. However, he still had no idea what to do. Of course he had to take serious actions, which he would have to be able to prove in doubt if Wheeler did indeed come to the conclusion in six months' time that he still wanted to put an end to his miserable existence. This was the only way he could protect the company and Mokuba. But what the hell kind of measures could they be? At least one action he had already taken - Wheeler would not spend the next weeks and months in the toxic environment he normally called home. That calmed him down a bit - yes, he had already started taking measures. But that would be far from enough…

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted when there was a knock at the door and Mokuba entered. "Hey, Seto, am I disturbing you? I heard what happened..."

Probably Roland, Kaiba's right and sometimes left hand, had informed him already. "No, come in," the older one replied exhausted. "It's just been a long day."

"Yes, I believe that. Frankly, I was quite surprised to hear what you’ve done. I thought you didn't like Joey?"

"I don’t," Kaiba replied, "but I had no choice. If there had been another option, I would have preferred it, too. And now I have no idea what to do."

"Yeah, it's pretty tricky... Although I can imagine how Joey must feel, considering everything I've heard about his situation.”

The older of the Kaiba brothers was all ears. "His situation?"

"Well, you probably know the rumours about Joey's dad, don't you? The rumour is that he is a hot-tempered, aggressive, violent, constantly drunk tyrant. This is said to have started when his parents divorced and his sister Serenity moved in with her mother while he had to stay with his father. I don't know so many details about what exactly happens at Joey's home, and I only know it from hearsay, but I can imagine that there is a lot more going on beneath the surface that we don’t know about. He probably didn't grow up in a very loving environment." 

Seto Kaiba realised that the younger one must have felt sorry for Wheeler, and he too had to admit that Wheeler's situation did indeed seem difficult, at least if you believed the rumours. But their own childhood had also been difficult, they too had had to struggle with pressure, even abuse from Gozaburo, their adoptive father, and Seto had always tried to protect Mokuba from this as much as possible. And despite his own challenging childhood and youth - he never thought of suicide. It actually made him even stronger. But Mokuba was probably right - there had to be more beneath the surface of Joey Wheeler that drove him into this situation. Right?

Frustrated because he still did not see a clear solution, he thought again about the last sentence of Mokuba. Wheeler had not grown up in a loving environment. Love - is that what was missing? Safety? Seto almost felt nauseous at this enumeration of words. He couldn't do anything about it, the only person he cared about was Mokuba. But if it was really the solution to the riddle to reach his goal, what did he have to do then?

Maybe Mokuba could help him. He had always been an empathic boy, and as opposed to himself, his younger brother could put himself in other people's shoes. But would that help in this case, too? "Mokuba... What do you think would help Wheeler? There's gotta be something.”

"Hm... I think the first step to get him away from his father was the right one. He needs a non-violent environment and has to learn that it doesn't have to be that way. He needs to build trust in other people. And he should feel that others trust him. I think, deep down inside he just wants to be loved..."

Damn it. As cheesy as all that Mokuba was saying sounded - he could be right. He talked about trust, love... how the hell was Kaiba going to give Wheeler all that he himself didn't have a clue about at all? He wasn't really known for being loving himself, and he didn't trust anyone except Mokuba, and maybe Roland, always making sure that he was legally protected in case something went wrong. Maybe he should hire someone else to do the job here, who.... no, he dismissed this thought immediately. He couldn't just hand over the control here, the subject was too delicate for that and the danger that something could go wrong was too great. No, he had to take it into his own hands.

He stood up and turned his back to Mokuba to look through the large window. "Seto, what's wrong?" Mokuba wanted to know. "You could be right, Mokuba," Seto began. "If trust and love is what gets me there, then I must be able to make him build up exactly that. I'm gonna get Wheeler to... trust me and... fall in love with me."

Mokuba stared at him in disbelief. Of course Seto himself would leave all emotions out of it. He was a master of manipulation and would be able to get where he wanted to go even if he had no emotions of his own. And in the end he would simply make Wheeler fall in love with someone else and he would be off the hook. It was as easy as that.

So after a very long day, the basic structure of his plan was finally established, which relieved him a lot. He had the feeling that he was once again in control of a situation he had not voluntarily manoeuvred himself into. Tomorrow he would set about defining a comprehensive catalogue of measures, and since he had no idea about such 'loving feelings' - the thought alone gave him unpleasant goosebumps - he probably had to invest some time in research.

So right there and then, he had made a decision. A decision that would have far-reaching consequences - for Joey, but also for himself. Little did he know at that time what was in store for him and what kind of emotional maelstrom he himself would be drawn into...

*NDA = Non-Disclosure Agreement


	2. Rescue me... from the violence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> I’m Okay, I’m Just A Little Depressed - FLØRE
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/1O8LgRxgkJ8LUXyYohTcyZ?si=1baghKA9TvuY1Ltnoipzng  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvSZhjAybs8 
> 
> I can’t even hate you  
> I’m busy hating myself  
> Nothing kills you like your mind  
> Am I fine when I’m not scared to die?
> 
> ~~~~

Seto Kaiba did not sleep a single second that night. How the hell was he going to make the mutt trust him, even fall in love with him? He ran a billion-dollar empire, had tens of thousands of employees, and yet this felt like an impossible task, so big that he didn't know if he could solve it. For a brief moment, he had to laugh at himself. Ridiculous, after all, he was Seto Kaiba, and for a Kaiba, no task was too big or too difficult. Still, he needed a plan, and he needed it fast.

When the sun slowly rose on the horizon and let the first rays of light into his bedroom, he gave up. Annoyed that he hadn't slept at all, he pushed off his blanket and went to his dressing room to get dressed and prepare himself for what was likely to be another very long day. Today was Saturday and one of the rare days when he did not have to go to work. Normally he spent most of his time at work on weekends as well, but he had been working much harder lately anyway to prepare for the Christmas shopping season. He opted for a casual look - dark jeans, a dark blue turtleneck jumper, and black sneakers. So he left his own apartment, which was much larger and more luxuriously furnished than Joey's, which was normally intended as a guest apartment. Quickly and purposefully he was drawn towards his office. However, he made a detour to the small coffee kitchen, which was very close to his office. The larger kitchen was also on the same floor and not far away, together with the dining room, where Mokuba and he usually had their meals - always together. But when he was engrossed in work, it was very convenient to have access to caffeine in close proximity. And after that night he needed caffeine, as much of it as possible. Normally he drank his coffee with a shot of milk, but today he needed it black - as black as the night he had just spent unsuccessfully brooding over problems and solutions that he wouldn't have without these stupid geeks. The CEO was pretty annoyed by that - unsuccessfulness was something he was not particularly used to. And he would do anything to ensure that it did not stay that way for long.

With a resigned sigh, he sat down on his leather office chair and booted up his laptop. It was just after six in the morning, and the sun was still busy announcing the first minutes of the new day. He resolved to at least check his email inbox in case there were any minor - or major - decisions to be made in the company. Afterwards he wanted to devote his valuable time to research - he had to start somewhere to come up with a plan. And he knew that it had to be flawless for it to work.

Two hours later he hadn't gotten anywhere. At first, he had been reassured when there were no major incidents in the company, no ominous emails announcing bad news. So he could quickly turn to his research work. Unfortunately, his research so far was absolutely inconclusive. Although that wasn't entirely true - at least he now understood how lovers behaved and ... what they did ... with each other ... when they were alone. Everything about it displeased him, even disgusted him. He would never do... _THAT_... with Wheeler. Besides, he wasn't stupid enough to believe that this was the first step in the right direction. He had to take the first step before the second, but what was the first step then? Damn it, how could he find out what to do?

Completely lost in his thoughts, Kaiba did not notice the knock on the door and his little brother stepping into the room, did not even notice him when he was standing directly in front of him. Frowning, Mokuba looked at his big brother. “Hello, earth to Seto!” he said, waving his arms right in front of Seto's face. Only then did he come back to reality and notice his little brother. "Sorry, Mokuba, I was in my thoughts."

"Yes, I noticed that," Mokuba replied with a mischievous grin on his lips. “You really meant what you said last night, huh? That you want to try to make Joey fall in love with you?"

“Of course I meant it seriously. Why shouldn't I?"

"Well," the younger brother began skeptically, his arms crossed in front of his chest, "don't you think you're going too far with that? To play with Joey's feelings, I mean. Have you ever thought about what would happen if he actually fell in love with you?"

"Mokuba, I've thought this through completely, weighed the arguments, and concluded that it's the absolute perfect way to achieve my goal. I just have to figure out what the first step is."

Mokuba's eyes fell on a folder on his brother's desk. "And what is that for?"

"That's where I'll put all my ideas and progress - as I said, it's important that my efforts are demonstrable in the end."

"Wow, sounds almost like you're working on a criminal case."

Seto thought about what his brother said for a moment. "Well, I see similarities, I have to agree. If only I knew what a first step could look like…," he murmured to himself. The younger brother exhaled slowly before saying, "Okay, if you're so serious, why don't you start listening to him? That builds trust. And no insults! That would certainly be a good start. I know you can't usually communicate in any other way than by insults, so why don't you keep your nasty thoughts to yourself and just try to listen to him. He probably just needs someone to be there for him right now.”

Surprised, Seto looked up and looked at his little brother. When did he become so grown up? Actually, what he said made a lot of sense, even though Seto could already guess what a big challenge would lay ahead of him. Still... it held water. Maybe he should involve Mokuba more often, at least in the beginning? He rose from his chair with a sigh, he didn't feel like brooding about it anymore, and he could feel hunger slowly building up. "You may be right. Come on, let's have some breakfast first, then I'll look into it further. I'll probably have to go get Wheeler out of his dog house, I think he's otherwise going to wander around the house like the straying dog he is.”

"Seto," Mokuba warned him. "That's exactly what I'm talking about! No insults, at least try it once. Just try not to hurt him any more than he already is."

The older brother raised his hands in defense. "Okay, okay, I'll try my best." However, he just wasn't sure whether 'his best' would be enough…

~~~~

Joey Wheeler did not sleep a single second that night. The mere fact that he was not lying on the hard mattress of his own bed, but on the soft feathers of a completely unfamiliar one, made life difficult for him that night. Everything smelled so different, nothing about this apartment seemed familiar to him. And he felt melancholic and... lonely. The latter was not really an unknown feeling for him. For a while now he had felt alone, even when he was among his friends. But this time it was somehow different. Different, because he shouldn't be here now. In fact, he shouldn't even exist anymore. He should have fallen 25 stories down yesterday, wiping out all the pain of the last years, as well as his own life. He just felt so out of place.

When the first rays of the sun shone through the window, he gave up, sighing, and stood up from the bed that had not brought him any sleep that night. He hesitated before taking a quick look at his phone, which he had placed on the bedside table next to him. It was just after six in the morning, probably no one in this house was on their feet yet. He had received some messages from Yugi, but he didn't have the strength to read them now. So he decided to read and answer them later.

Despite the rays of the sun coming out cautiously, it was still a little dark in the room. Joey looked around the room he was in at that moment. As he had already noticed yesterday, this room was also quite spartanly furnished, and yet - it had style. He wondered if Kaiba himself took care of the interior design? The thought of Kaiba comparing different carpets in the furniture store around the corner made him smile. Impossible, he probably had lackeys who were subject to their great master.

Next to the bed, there was a small wooden bedside table, which looked like oak wood, or at least it was identical to the wood that framed the bed. Under the window there was a small desk with a desk lamp on it and a matching office chair. Lost in thought, Joey stroked across the wood of the table, wondering why there was no wardrobe. Directly opposite the bed was a door that gave access to the living room. There was also the 'front door' through which he had entered the apartment yesterday, so there was no separate corridor. The living room was also quite presentable. There was a sofa where two people could sit, and opposite was a TV hanging on the wall. The sofa was of ice-blue colour, and Joey immediately thought of the eyes of a certain idiot. Joey shook his head - of course, that rich spoiled brat had to be immortalised in the guest rooms. After all, nobody should forget where they were and where they stand.

There was also a bookshelf, which was almost completely empty, but there was one single book in it. He would look at it more closely in a moment, but first he wanted to open the other two doors that led from the living room into other rooms. The first door led him into a huge, almost pervertedly large bathroom. As far as he could tell, this was the most luxurious room in terms of materials. Although the other rooms were furnished with high-quality parquet flooring, this could not outweigh the probably sinfully expensive marble bathroom. It was white marble, irregularly interspersed with black. It was beautiful, Joey had to admit. There was both a free-standing bathtub and a huge shower cabin with a rain shower, and of course a toilet. There was no window, but the built-in light made it look as if daylight actually fell into the bathroom. Above the washbasin, there was a mirror with small lights on the sides.

The last door led into a room whose purpose he couldn't determine at first, but then he realised why there was no wardrobe in the bedroom - because he was standing in the middle of it. At least if you could still call it a wardrobe. The amazingly spacious room probably had room for a whole year's supply of clothes, with all those drawers and open cupboards. How long were guests normally accommodated here, if such a large dressing room was necessary? Even all his clothes together would look absolutely lost here.

Shaking his head, he withdrew from the room and went back to the bookshelf to look at the only book there. Had anyone forgotten it here? He looked at it and carefully stroked the cover. It was 'Anna Karenina' by Lev Tolstoy. The book looked old and the smell he noticed suggested it was old as well. It was heavy and probably contained over 1,000 pages. Curiously he read the summary of the book, which was written on one of the first pages of the book. It was about Russian noble families, love, intrigue, marriage, morals, and was set in the late 19th century. The name of the book as well as the author seemed vaguely familiar to Joey - presumably, they had studied it in class. Not that he had really listened though.

He put the book back on the shelf - perhaps he would look closer at it at some point, although he suspected that he wouldn't understand even half of it. Only now did he notice that there was an access to a balcony from this room, too. He opened the glass door and stepped through. The sun came out timidly, but it was still very early in the morning and quite chilly. Joey still had yesterday's clothes on because he was not carrying any other things with him when Kaiba picked him up. The view he had was breathtaking - he could look directly into the garden, which was very well tended. It was November and the trees were about to shed all their leaves and prepare for winter - but now there was still a colourful sea of leaves underneath. The size of the garden was remarkable. Had Kaiba and Mokuba played here as children? Joey could not imagine how Kaiba was as a child. Something came back to him that he had said to him yesterday - that he could understand what it means to be treated badly. What could it possibly be that he meant when he said that?

When Joey caught this thought, he shook his head vigorously. Since when did he care what made Kaiba who he was today? No, he didn't want to waste another thought on that. So he let his gaze wander to the horizon and followed the course of the sun, which continued its way into the day.

And so seconds turned into minutes, and minutes into hours. Something in him was lost in the silence and calm of the dawning day, and he enjoyed the beauty of the garden, leaning against the railing of the balcony, which somehow reminded him of the railing he had clung to yesterday on the high-rise. So he didn't even notice how his apartment door was opened and Kaiba entered the room. Only when he cleared his throat did he wake up from his daydreams and turned to him.

"Grab your food, mutt," Kaiba told him unequivocally. Joey straightened up and looked at him from eyes that were twisted into slits. "Good morning to you too, asshole. I suppose you have your own key card to every room in this house? So much for privacy." Joey reaped nothing but a scornful snort as Kaiba turned to leave. When he realised Joey wasn't following him, he shouted at him, "Don't be stupid, mutt, of course I have access to every room in the house. And if you don't want to wander around the house like a stray dog, I'd recommend you to follow me."

Reluctantly, but without another word of protest, Joey followed him, through a multitude of corridors and staircases, with pictures hanging on the walls they passed and multiple statues in the hallways. Kaiba led him into a room that was probably the dining room. Mokuba was already waiting there and when Joey entered the room, the little boy came towards him beaming with joy.

"Joey, good morning! I'm so glad you're with us." With youthful enthusiasm, Mokuba rushed up to Joey and gave him a stormy hug, which earned them both a disapproving look from the bigger Kaiba brother. "Hey, Mokuba, I... well, I don't really know what to say honestly."

"How about a thank you for me picking you up yesterday and being so gracious as to accept you here," it came from a corner of the room from Kaiba, who had already sat down on a chair and took a sip from his coffee cup. Joey sparkled at him angrily. "Nobody asked you to do that, you prick."

"Hey, hey," Mokuba tried to appease them. "Don’t argue so early in the morning. Joey, you must be hungry. Let's get you some breakfast." Afterwards he turned to his brother and reminded him with a disapproving glance of what he had asked him to do earlier. But he couldn't expect more than a raised eyebrow from his big brother in reaction to this before he took the newspaper and read the daily news.

The rest of the breakfast was reasonably peaceful. Joey ate a little, but he couldn't get much down. Instead, he drank two large cups of coffee, black, to get him up to speed. Judging by the circles under Kaiba's eyes, he hadn't gotten much sleep either, Joey had noticed that. And he wondered if he himself looked that tired as well.

"So?" Mokuba started the conversation again and broke the silence. "What are you going to do today?” Joey scratched his head and thought. "Well, I gotta get home..."

"Out of the question," he was interrupted by Kaiba at once.

"...to get some new clothes," the blond replied in an energetic tone and threw an angry look at Kaiba. "You made it clear to me yesterday that I can't get away from here, but even you won't be stupid enough to believe that I'll keep the same outfit on for six months." Ice-blue eyes fought with golden brown ones, and nobody wanted to give up this combat voluntarily.

"Fine," Kaiba said after a while. "But you're certainly not going there alone. I will accompany you." When Joey wanted to object, he added, "And I won’t accept any protest. We leave in 30 minutes. You'll be picked up here." And with those words, Kaiba got up and walked out of the dining room.

What the... What was that arrogant son of a bitch thinking? Joey hated being ordered around like that, but he was with his back against the wall again. Obviously, he had to obey - at least for now. He would certainly find a loophole sooner or later.

Mokuba also got up now and wanted to say goodbye. Consolingly he put a hand on Joey's shoulder. "I know my brother can be a bit harsh." The understatement of the year, Joey thought to himself at that moment, but let Mokuba continue. "But give him a chance. I think he really means well." And with those words, Mokuba was gone, and Joey was left alone with his thoughts. Kaiba meant well? Joey had never heard such outright nonsense in his life. As if the guy was interested in something other than himself. Well, maybe in Mokuba, but that probably was his limit. He didn't have time to think about it for a long time, because soon one of Kaiba's lackeys appeared who was supposed to pick him up as announced.

~~~~

Seto Kaiba was already waiting in the limousine. After this morning he knew that this would be an even greater challenge for him than he had initially anticipated. How should he ever manage to follow Mokuba's advice? Before he got into the car, Mokuba did not fail to remind him again. No insults, listening, that sort of thing. It would take him a lot of effort and self-control, that much was for sure.

At that moment the door opened and Wheeler got in. He told the driver his address - damn, it was going to be a long drive, they had to go all over town, and at this time of day in particular traffic jams could be expected.

The journey itself was silent and, indeed, reasonably peaceful. Wheeler put his arm on one of the armrests and looked out of the window, lost in thought. What was he possibly thinking about? Kaiba had to admonish himself that it was none of his business and that he was also not particularly interested at the same time. He had to remember the big goal, that was all that mattered. But the closer they got to Wheeler's home, the more nervous the blond seemed to get. Was the mutt scared? Ridiculous. On the other hand, he would probably bump into his father in the apartment, and who knew what would happen. Something about it made the brunet angry, which seemed even more ridiculous to him, after all this was about the stray dog Wheeler. But if he thought of his own childhood and of Gozaburo, who wasn't exactly squeamish with him either... if he imagined he had done something like that to Mokuba, he would probably have strangled him on the spot.

At that moment the car entered Wheeler's street. Kaiba was not surprised by what a run-down area they were in now. It was no secret that Wheeler's family did not have much and the pitiful rest was drunk by the good-for-nothing man who was supposed to be Wheeler's father. He watched Wheeler take another deep breath before the chauffeur opened the door and he got out. Kaiba also got out, and the blond gave him a puzzled look in return. "It’s alright, Kaiba, I'll go in alone."

"You won't. Why do you think I came along? Because I like driving through the whole city with you and then just wait for you?"

Wheeler seemed to be too preoccupied with the thoughts of what was ahead for him to come up with a quick-witted answer. "Ah, whatever, asshole." With these words he opened the front door and they climbed up the stairs to the apartment, which Wheeler also opened then. As soon as he did, Kaiba noticed the penetrating smell of alcohol that seemed to take over the whole apartment. Wheeler looked around carefully and was cautious to make as little noise as possible as he walked down the hallway towards his room, which was probably at the very end of it. This plan only worked moderately, however, as he ran into an empty bottle rattling along the rest of the corridor with a thunderous noise. It was quiet for a short moment until they both heard a loud - and obviously drunk - voice. "Joey, you useless bastard of a son, is that you?" A person who was obviously Wheeler's father stomped towards them from one of the other rooms, holding a whiskey bottle in his hand. He first saw his son, whom he angrily greeted, and Kaiba noticed that Wheeler looked a little startled.

Shortly afterwards his dad noticed the presence of Kaiba, who reaped a no less hateful look from him. "And who the hell are you and what are you doing in my apartment?" Kaiba had to turn up his nose, but said nothing more about it - he knew that such a situation could quickly get out of hand. Besides, Wheeler quickly took the floor. "Dad, I'm just here to pick up a few things. I won't be home for a while. I'm just gonna go up to my room and..."

"You won't do this, you stupid shithead! You're gonna stay here and clean up all this shit!" With these words, the father rushed at his son, still holding the bottle. But Kaiba reacted quickly and held the older one by the sleeve, who got a bit upset. He staggered, and the bottle broke at a nearby cupboard. The brown liquid spread all over the floor, which only made Wheeler's father even angrier. "Get off me, you fucking bastard! That was my last bottle, go on, bring me a new one, or are you as good-for-nothing as my son, huh?!"

But Kaiba remained calm. "I will not do anything. If you really want to drink more, get yourself a drink, and you can clean up your own mess. I am not your maid." His words, however, did not lead to a de-escalation of the situation, quite the contrary, it only incited the father even more. "You stupid... I'll show you!" And the moment he tried to go at Kaiba with the remnants of the bottle in his hand, Wheeler intervened. However, Wheeler underestimated his father's anger and strength and was pushed away and landed rudely on the ground. Kaiba was only distracted for a fraction of a second so that Wheeler’s father could strike again. Although Kaiba was able to prevent worse damage, he was not able to avoid being hit in the face with a piece of glass, so that a scratch now graced his cheek. The very next moment, the son struck again and was able to get a hit in the drunkard's stomach, who tilted backwards the next moment and landed on the floor. He made no more noise. Was he unconscious?

"Don't worry," Wheeler started breathlessly. "He'll be up soon. I've seen this before." A few breaths later he calmed down a bit and looked at Kaiba. For a brief moment, his eyes widened and he said, "That doesn't look like it needs stitches. I'll disinfect the wound a bit anyway and put a plaster over it, just in case. We have stuff for that in the bathroom."

"It's alright, Wheeler, don't worry about it."

"Don't ya fuckin’ argue with me now. Go, get in the bathroom. I don't wanna waste my time here arguing about it, I just wanna pack my bag and get outta here as quickly as possible. He's not usually passed out for that long."

Kaiba gave in and followed Wheeler into the bathroom. "Sit down," he told him, and at first he didn't know where to go. The bathroom was so small, one could easily get claustrophobic. So he sat down on the toilet seat, while Wheeler fetched all the necessary things from a small cupboard above the sink. "This might burn a bit now," he warned Kaiba before soaking the cotton ball in a liquid and dabbing the wound in Kaiba's face. He knelt down in front of him and looked at the wound very closely. Why couldn't Kaiba get rid of the feeling that Wheeler had had more practice with that than he should have...

It was silent for a moment, then Wheeler spoke again as he continued to dab the wound. "You didn't have to do that, you know. I'm used to it and I've always gotten out of here alive so far. You put yourself in unnecessary danger, he could have hurt you much more."

In what direction did this conversation develop? "Nonsense, Wheeler. That guy was so drunk, he couldn't have done much damage. It was a lucky shot, that's all."

Wheeler stuck a small plaster over the wound and seemed satisfied with his work. He looked up and now looked Kaiba straight in the eyes. "Believe me, he could have done much more damage. There were two of us, that was our advantage. But alone... believe me, he is skilled at inflicting injuries.”

Wheeler was about to leave the bathroom to go to his room and pack his bag, but he faltered. Grinding his teeth and barely audible, without looking directly at Kaiba, he said, "Thanks... without you, I would have gotten out of here with at least a black eye. If you tell anyone that I just said that, I'll kill you.” With that being said he left the bathroom and went to his own room. And left behind a somewhat confused Seto Kaiba.

~~~~

Joey quickly took a travel bag out of the closet and put as many clothes as possible in it. He knew they wouldn't have much time before the dirtbag woke up again. Had that disgusting idiot even read his suicide note? Apparently not, at least he didn't seem surprised that Joey showed up here.

He quickly packed a few other things in his bag in addition to his clothes. He had his wallet and his mobile phone with him anyway, and next to that he stowed away headphones and his old-fashioned MP3 player, which he feverishly clung on to, even though it had already earned him some amused comments from his friends. Afterwards, he made his way back to the bathroom to pack a few toiletries as well as toothpaste, toothbrush, and shampoo. Kaiba was still sitting where he had left him. Joey couldn't fool himself - that Kaiba was hurt, even if only superficially, made him feel guilty. What he had said, he meant seriously, Kaiba should have held back. Joey had already had to endure or fend off worse attacks from his father. On the other hand, he was actually grateful that he had intervened. If he had been alone there, he would have suffered much worse wounds now.

Shaking his head, he released himself from his absurd thought processes. Grateful to Seto Kaiba - he would certainly not repeat this in this life. He closed the zip of his bag and addressed the taller one. "Okay, done. Let's get outta here."

Kaiba seemed not to want to spend another minute here, too. Determined, he headed for the exit and Joey did the same. Before he left the apartment, he looked around once more. And even if he would never admit it, at least not out loud: He was relieved to get out of here. He quickly closed the door behind him and followed Kaiba back to the limousine that would take him back to the mansion.

For the first few minutes of the ride, it was quiet again and everyone hung on to their thoughts. Then Joey took the floor, looking out of the window again. "You know, Kaiba, I could have just signed you some kinda paper that would relieve you of any responsibility. That there was nothing you could have done. And then I could have jumped, and you wouldn't be in that situation now."

"And you think your idiot friends would have been satisfied with that? Then they would have accused me of forcing you to sign it or something. The press would have been all over it."

It was still morning and Joey was tired, too tired to argue. Sighing, he turned to Kaiba and looked him in the eye. "Maybe." And if Joey was honest, really honest with himself - when he stood there yesterday on the edge of a precipice and looked down, just minutes before he was about to put his long-held plan into action, there was this moment, if only for a millisecond, when he wondered if it was the right thing to do. Whether death was really what he longed for. However, he had already rejected this thought in the next moment and was determined - at least if this rich spoiled brat hadn't got in his way.

Sighing, he spoke up again. "I'm only gonna say this once, I won't repeat it, and you're a dead man if you tell anyone what I'm about to tell you." Joey paused for a moment before continuing. "I think I'm grateful to you for giving me the chance to find out if this is what I really want. To die, I mean. I know you wouldn't have made that deal voluntarily, but so be it. Thanks for trying.” At the last words, Joey had to turn away because he couldn't stand Kaiba's intense and equally confused look. "Don't make a big fuss over this deal now, mutt..."

"Can't you just leave things uncommented, Kaiba? Just this one time?" Joey looked into his eyes again and could see Kaiba nodding discreetly, hardly noticeable.

"Okay, I'll take your deal. Officially, I mean, yesterday I was rather pushed into it. At least one thing that we have in common, after all we are both not in this situation of our own free will. But maybe it's fate, I don't know, sounds totally esoteric, I know. Whatever. Deal?" Joey held out his hand to Kaiba to give his agreement a seriousness that it hadn't had before. Kaiba hesitated briefly, but then took Joey's hand. "Deal."

And despite the fact that they had now concluded this agreement quite formally, uncertainty was spreading in both. What would happen in the coming months? How would they spend their time together? And how should they, two of the worst enemies there have ever been, get along for even one minute? At that point, they could not yet guess how much they were actually connected - and that, without them realising it, a bond was being forged between them that could no longer be easily severed...


	3. Rescue me... from my chaotic thoughts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> Lost Boy - Ruth B.
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/4h0zU3O9R5xzuTmNO7dNDU   
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58TBZnvyGwQ 
> 
> There was a time when I was alone  
> No where to go and no place to call home  
> My only friend was the man in the moon  
> And even sometimes he would go away too  
> Then one night, as I closed my eyes  
> I saw a shadow flying high  
> He came to me with the sweetest smile  
> Told me he wanted to talk for a while  
> He said Peter Pan that's what they call me  
> I promise that you'll never be lonely  
> And ever since that day  
> I am a Lost Boy from Neverland
> 
> ~~~~

The rest of Saturday was relatively uneventful. Kaiba retreated quite quickly to his home office and only showed up for dinner. He picked Joey up for lunch, and by dinner time, he had already memorised the route, so they only had to agree on a time. Joey left early after dinner. He didn't have much need for company, especially not with his worst enemy Seto Kaiba sitting in the same room with him. Back in his apartment, he grabbed his MP3 player, headphones and took a bath. He was exhausted and wanted to find at least a little relaxation.

While he was bathing he noticed how he kept dozing off, so he just brushed his teeth quickly afterwards, put on his long sleeping trousers, which he always took out when autumn came around, and went straight to bed. He was so drained that he actually managed to fall asleep quickly and at least that night he was able to get a few hours of sleep.

But the next cloudy Sunday morning he woke up much too early again - too early to get up for breakfast, but too late to go back to sleep. As Joey laid there, trying to find motivation for a new day, the first rays of sunshine fought their way through the thick cloud cover. It promised to be a rainy day - once again.

His thoughts went back to the previous day. So, now they had officially made a deal. A deal that both were only involuntarily prepared to make. Surprised, Joey realised that this was probably something they had in common again. What other common grounds were still slumbering under the surface?

Shaking his head, he tried to get rid of these absurd thoughts. Okay, he had to try to think logically. He couldn't escape from here that quickly, so he wanted to concentrate on the things that were in his hands. Or at least on those he thought he had control over. Tomorrow was Monday and a new school week would begin. He wondered if the news had already circulated. He was certain that somebody would not be able to keep his mouth shut - even if, surprisingly, he did not expect Kaiba to be that one. Tristan would be much more likely to do so. A bad feeling washed over Joey when he thought about the new week. He didn't like going to school very much anyway, even though he had to admit that it was nice to be surrounded by his friends.

At that moment he got the feeling that something had changed. Something in him was different since his plan had gone so fundamentally wrong, thanks to Kaiba. But wasn't Kaiba somehow a victim of the circumstances here, too? After all, Tristan had put a gun to his chest.

Annoyed that he was pondering Kaiba's motives again, Joey turned on his belly and pressed a pillow over his head and ears, hoping to silence his thoughts. But already the next idea popped into his head - he had to return to his part-time job next week. What were his days supposed to be like now anyway? He no longer lived with his father, and since this incompetent good-for-nothing dad had nothing else to do but drink all day, Joey had always been the one to bring in enough money to pay the rent and all necessities of life. Maybe he should just put the money he earned from his part-time job into his own pockets from now on instead of stuffing it down his ungrateful father's throat. But immediately his sense of responsibility took over. Could he just drop his father, despite all the physical and emotional pain he had caused him over the past years? The more he thought about it, the more he felt he was moving away from a possible solution. Sighing, he gave up, there was no easy solution for that now, and even if he knew he still had to think about it, maybe now was just not the right time for it.

Also, he lived with the Kaibas now, but was he obliged to do anything? Did he have to pay rent? Did he have to tell Kaiba where he went and what he did? He would have to talk to him about that. What did Kaiba expect from him from now on?

Frustrated that this rich spoiled brat was once again dominating his thoughts, Joey grabbed his phone, which was on the bedside table. He had not replied to Yugi yet, who had sent him one message after another yesterday. He skimmed them and found that the smaller one wanted to know if he was still alive, if he was all right. He couldn't really blame him for that after all the fuss of the last days. He only sent him a very short message - at least telling him that he was alive and well, given the circumstances. He didn't tell him about the deal or that he was now living in the Kaiba brothers' golden cage, so to speak. He would still have to tell his friends, but at the moment he just needed some rest to process the events of the last days. After sending the message, Joey got up - it couldn't have been much later than half past six in the morning, and he desperately needed some separation from his own mind. He went into his dressing room, put on sports clothes and shoes and grabbed his MP3 player. A quick glance out the balcony door made him realise that it could only be a matter of time before it started raining, but he badly needed to get out of here and clear his head, and he hoped a bit of exercise would help him with that. At the same time, he could satisfy his curiosity about how big the Kaiba brothers' garden would actually be. He put his key card in his pocket and ran out into the hallway.

As soon as he had set foot in the garden the first raindrop slapped his cheek. But he wasn't discouraged by this, so he put his headphones in his ears and ran off. After only a few minutes he was so hot that he found the feeling of the wind and the raindrops on his face very pleasant. He was also incredibly amazed by the size of the garden. It was more like a park than just a garden. Where had he ended up here, in Versailles? Admittedly, it was really beautiful out here. Colourful leaves were scattered everywhere, and from a distance, he could even make out a gardener trying in vain to control the mountains of leaves, but the wind put a real crimp in his plans. Joey enjoyed the fresh air, cleared from the rain, and ran quite a large round. By the time he returned to the back entrance that connected the mansion with the garden (or rather the park?), the sun had already completely risen, even though it was still fighting the thick clouds and could only gain a few moments of victory. He looked at his MP3 player, which could also show the time - it was almost half past seven, so he had just under half an hour left until breakfast. He would have to hurry up a bit, so he could quickly get into the shower and into fresh clothes. And as he ran up the stairs and made his way to his apartment, he had the feeling for the first time in days that he was a bit in control of his thoughts. And he hoped that it would stay that way, at least for a while...

~~~~

Seto Kaiba spent the morning since getting up mainly thinking about Wheeler's strange behaviour yesterday when he tried to seal the deal with a seriousness he didn't know a mutt like him could have. And the way he had patched him up after his father's attack... that thought gave him goosebumps, even though he couldn't figure out why. Annoyed that Wheeler had taken over his thoughts so early in the morning, he left his apartment early and walked more or less aimlessly through the corridors. Someone had to make sure that everything was law and order in this house, so a little inspection couldn't hurt.

As he left his apartment on the first floor, he saw Wheeler coming out of his own at the same time, which was on the opposite side of the corridor. Both corridors were separated by the staircase area. Where was that mutt going at such an early hour? Was he trying to escape after all? Kaiba hid in the safe darkness of the hallway and watched Wheeler walking in his direction. For a brief moment, he was worried that the blond might spot him, but he seemed engrossed in his own thoughts. What was he holding in his hand? It looked like a small MP3 player, but who still owned such an old-fashioned thing today? He noticed that the blond had sports clothes on, and when he was out of sight, he followed him with careful steps to avoid being discovered. He saw Wheeler walking through the back entrance straight into the park that belonged to the Kaiba mansion, and watched him increase his pace and start running. Interesting, he would make a note of that and put it in his folder, you never knew what this information could be useful for.

Kaiba entered the dining room at eight o'clock sharp. He immediately noticed the seductive smell of freshly brewed coffee, just what he needed now. He didn't get much rest last night either, although a little more than the night before. Mokuba was also already sitting in his place and greeted him with a smile on his face. "Good morning, Seto. Did you sleep well?" "I did, thank you," Kaiba replied a little absent-mindedly. What had the mutt not understood about being on time for meals?

Exactly five minutes late Wheeler appeared in the doorway, a little out of breath and with his hair still wet. He must have miscalculated his time, and judging by the expression on his face when he entered the room, he was well aware of that. "Morning," he said sheepishly before he sat down on his chair, which was opposite Kaiba. Mokuba sat to the side of them.

"Well, mutt, are you ..." Kaiba was immediately interrupted by Mokuba, who vigorously pushed his leg against his big brother's under the table. "Morning, Joey, did you sleep well?" Mokuba now asked Wheeler.

"Kinda, I guess. It's all a bit unusual," Wheeler explained with a slight smile on his lips. He still had a few drops of water dripping from his hair. Kaiba followed their path, from the hairline to the tips of his hair, across his neck and into the T-shirt, where they disappeared leaving a damp stain. Why was he so fascinated that he could hardly take his eyes off it?

Wheeler was obviously wondering the same thing because when Kaiba lifted his gaze again and looked into his face, he could clearly see the dog's confusion. He immediately took his eyes off him and returned to his coffee and the light breakfast he was brought before Wheeler showed up.

Even a dog had to eat, and immediately the kitchen maid brought his food, together with a cup of coffee. He poured a sip of milk into it and looked obsessively into his cup as black and white mixed. Then he took a deep breath, cleared his throat and looked up. What was he about to say now?

"I…," he began, but apparently couldn't find the right words. He cleared his throat again before repeating, "I just wanted to say that school starts again next week.”

Wow, did he expect applause for this sentence? How stupid did he think Kaiba was that he didn't know that?

With his eyebrow raised, he continued to watch the puppy. That couldn't have been all he had to say, that would be extraordinarily stupid even for him. So he waited, and lo and behold, the blond spoke up again.

"Yeah, and I just wanted to let ya know that I'll be going back to my part-time job. I work as a waiter in a café near the school, so I won't be back home… uh, I mean back here for dinner for a few days.”

"And why do you think I should care, mutt?"

You could tell by the look on Wheeler's face that his answer made him furious. "I'm just saying. The deal’s on, so nothing to worry about."

Kaiba instantly had to be careful not to spit the sip of coffee in his mouth all over the table with laughter. "Worried? You really think I would worry about you? Are you sure you didn't lose part of your brain when you were standing up there on top of that high-rise?"

"Oh, fuck you, Kaiba," the dog growled and left the dining room in a hurry.

"Seto! What was that?" Mokuba brought up quite upset.

"What? What Wheeler came up with was complete nonsense."

Mokuba massaged his temples with both hands before declaring, "Seto, what exactly did you not understand when I told you, no insults?”

"That wasn't an..."

"Oh, Stop! I'm going to my apartment now and doing my homework. And you think about what you can do differently. At least you won't get far with your insults and the really inappropriate tone of voice with Joey!" And when Mokuba stormed out of the room, he slammed the door with a force that made his anger particularly apparent. What remained was a Seto Kaiba who had not even the slightest idea what had actually just happened here.

~~~~

The rest of the weekend passed without further incidents, probably also because Joey only came out of his apartment to eat. He spent the rest of the time listening to music. What was he thinking when he thought he could talk to Kaiba this morning? How incredibly arrogant the brunet had acted again. But that only confirmed once again what kind of person he was - a stuck-up, egocentric, insufferable jerk. Could one still call such a person a human being?

This rage accompanied him the whole day, even though it had initially started out quite well. He had enjoyed running in the morning and decided to do it more often. But the later it got in the day, the more another emotion mixed into his chaos of feelings - nervousness before the first day at school after... this event. He tossed and turned half the night and was happy when the alarm clock released him in the morning and announced the time to get up.

Everyone was quiet during breakfast. Was it just him, or were the other two also unsure what the day would bring?

"My chauffeur will drive us to school, Mokuba will be driven by another driver, because he still goes to another school," Kaiba took the floor. Joey was so nervous that he could hardly eat, and now he didn't feel like picking another fight, so he just nodded.

"I'm getting a ride to work after school, so you're going home alone, Wheeler."

The blond looked up in astonishment. What, no 'mutt' insults this morning? Well, that should be just fine with him - hopefully, he was allowed at least one morning in peace once in a while. The next six months would open up more than enough opportunities to have a good fight.

After breakfast, Joey quickly packed his school supplies in his bag, brushed his teeth and made his way outside, where the limousine with Kaiba inside was already waiting to drive them to school. "It's about time," Kaiba greeted him, and Joey couldn't let go of the feeling that he wanted to add something to that but was holding back. What had suddenly happened with Kaiba? Maybe Mokuba had something to do with it, Joey had already noticed that he always warned his brother when he didn't know how to behave respectfully towards other people.

Since Joey didn't respond and therefore didn't offer Kaiba a chance to attack further, they remained silent for the rest of the ride, which didn't even take ten minutes. When the car stopped in front of the school, Joey was hit by another, even stronger wave of nervousness. Carefully he got out of the car and looked around. Damn it, he could already make out the first groups of students gossiping together when they spotted him. And he knew immediately that this school day would still bring its challenges. Although, maybe they were only whispering because he had just got out of a limousine with his enemy Kaiba? Sighing, he made his way inside. There was little else he could do but simply get through it now, and it didn't really matter what the other students were whispering about in secret. All the way into the school building, he could feel the piercing, ice-cold looks of the arrogant jerk who followed him at a proper distance.

Surprisingly, the first half of the school day went by normally. No one really spoke to Joey, apart from his friends, who were of course very happy to see him again. But they also kept a bit of distance and didn't want to force themselves on him. He was really grateful for that - when the time was right, he would definitely open up to them, but at the moment he needed time to put his own thoughts in order.

During the lunch break, the group went to the on-site canteen. Kaiba had taken a seat and sat down alone at a separate table, and no other student dared to come anywhere near him. While Joey sat at a table with his friends sipping his soup, he kept looking over at the brunet. It was quite exhausting to keep up with his moods. He had helped him, even almost defended him, when they went to his dad's house to collect his stuff. Only to find his way back to his old peak performance barely a moment later and to treat him in a continuously pejorative manner. Joey hadn't chosen this situation of his own free will either, and if Kaiba thought that this behaviour would make him reconsider his decision in six months, he surely was out of his mind. When he noticed that Kaiba frowned back at him, he turned away and continued eating his soup.

"Hey, guys, why don't ya go ahead, I need some fresh air," Joey explained after lunch. He waved to his friends before he exited through the big front door and went outside. The weather today was cooler than at the weekend and it was cloudy again, but the expected rain did not arrive yet. Joey took a few steps in the schoolyard, closed his eyes briefly and enjoyed the wind around his nose. Only when someone gave him a strong push did he open them again, startled.

"Hey, Wheeler! We heard you had a death wish? Well, we can surely help you there. Am I right, guys?"

Damn, so the news had actually spread. He was surrounded by a bunch of punks who pushed him up against a wall of the school building.

Confused, Joey asked, "What the hell d’ya want from me?!"

"Come on, Wheeler, we just wanna play a little game." And so the first fist raced towards him. Joey was taken by surprise, so the group scored a hit to his face. All right, they wanted it that way. Joey wouldn't stand around here without a proper fight and get beaten up!

So he also took a swing, ran towards one of the guys, tried to score on his own, but they were just too many. Every time he thought he could hit one of them, the next one threw himself in between and stopped him. It was no use, but Joey didn't give up. Every hit, every pain they inflicted on him only made him more furious. He wouldn't stop until they were done - or until he himself was lying on the floor unconscious.

~~~~

The mutt was late - again. Kaiba could barely overlook the fact that he was late for breakfast, but he was angry that he didn't find it important enough to be on time for class either. What was even more annoying was that he even cared where the pathetic nitwit was. He massaged his temples briefly in the hope of getting rid of the annoying headaches Wheeler was giving him as he left the school building for the schoolyard.

Immediately, he picked up a few voices nearby and followed them in the direction from which they came. He observed a group of students who apparently made short work of another one. He looked more closely - and noticed that it was Wheeler they were attacking. At that moment Kaiba blew a fuse, for reasons not known to him. He stormed towards the horde of boys, and before they could realise what was happening, he had brought them down to their knees one by one. The fear in their eyes when they saw Kaiba was very obvious and with their tails drawn in, they started to flee.

"How dare you, Kaiba!" Wheeler snorted behind him after the group had left. Kaiba turned to him. Wheeler gave a miserable picture - his skin was reddened, blood was running from his mouth and nose, his jacket had been torn in one place. His breath was still going fast and Kaiba's breath was also accelerated by the adrenaline.

"How about a 'thank you' for saving your skin, Wheeler?"

Growling and snarling - honestly, how easy did he want to make it for him to come up with more dog metaphors? - Wheeler replied, "I could have done it easily without you! I don't need ya help, Kaiba!”

Kaiba then pressed him against the wall, his arms left and right of Wheeler's head. "Is that so? It didn't look like that to me only a minute ago, and the depressing picture you're giving me right now confirms my assumptions very well!”

Kaiba had the feeling of going mad, of losing his temper. How could the mutt be so stupid and put himself in such danger when it was obvious he couldn’t stand a chance? Ice-blue eyes duelled with golden brown ones. He was dangerously close to him and he could feel Wheeler's wet breath on his face, but no one backed away even an inch. There was something intense in Wheeler's gaze, the force of his emotions leading to a vivid movement of his eye colour, sometimes bright gold and sometimes medium brown, and everything in between. Kaiba could not look away, and it seemed as if it was similar to Wheeler.

"Hey, Joey! What happened?" As soon as he heard the voices of the geeks, he took his eyes off Wheeler, turned around and walked away. "We came quickly from the classroom to check on you. Did he do this to you?" he heard Gardner say. He stopped for a moment to wait for Wheeler's reaction, and when he turned around he saw Wheeler shaking his head. Better that way, he would not dare to blame him for it. He was solely responsible for that himself. And despite the fact that Kaiba had already moved considerably away from the small group, he could still see that the mutt's gaze was a mixture of anger, confusion and... longing (?). And it was just as intense as before when they had been so close together. When the memories tried to grab him, he had to turn away. What the hell had just happened?

Kaiba was happy when the school day was finally over and he was driven to his company. He desperately needed a different environment, had to deal with logical things that he could easily analyse. As soon as he arrived he booted up his computer and opened the Excel file he had been working on recently, which gave him an overview of the profits of each product division.

An hour later he had done next to nothing. Again and again, his thoughts drifted to the mutt, and he was not able to figure out why. He could not understand at all what had happened in the schoolyard. All he knew was that a pair of golden brown eyes had been following him in his thoughts ever since. With a groan he gave up, he would no longer be able to concentrate on the numbers today, so he decided to go home. Maybe he could continue working there, in the peace and quietness of his home office.

Once home and in his office, he was just turning on his laptop when his little brother Mokuba stuck his head in the door. What was it about this new habit of disturbing him in his office?

"Hey, Seto, what happened at school? Joey looked terrible with all those plasters and stuff on his face!" The ‘dweeb patrol’ had probably sent him to the school nurse, who mended what could be mended.

"The mutt took on a pack of wolves and got the short end of the stick. I intervened and was then allowed to listen to the reproaches," Kaiba answered truthfully.

Sighing, Mokuba sat down on the chair directly in front of his desk. Whyever he had placed it there, when he was expecting business partners, the meetings usually took place at KaibaCorp anyway.

"So really, you've both now decided on this ominous deal - and I'm not saying I necessarily like what you've come up with - but I have the feeling that NONE of you is doing anything to make it work, especially not you!”

Kaiba was annoyed by his little brother's renewed accusations. "And what do you suggest I do instead? I'm the one who got him out of trouble in the first place.”

Mokuba took a deep breath before he said, "Maybe you two just need to get out of your familiar surroundings. I don't know, see something different and do something different. You're so used to always arguing and the places you're usually in automatically pull you into this behaviour - because you always do it that way and you might unconsciously connect the places with it. Maybe you just ask him what he usually likes to do, where he likes to go, and then you go on a trip, maybe on a weekend or something. Hey, don't look at me so sceptically, it would be worth a try."

After these detailed descriptions of his brother, Kaiba could only shake his head. If this continued, he had to be careful not to get a concussion from the constant, hectic movements of his head.

~~~~

It was almost time for dinner. Why was Joey so nervous? Actually, he was still very confused. What had happened between them, today in the schoolyard? Joey was so incredibly angry when Kaiba had interfered. Of course, he was behind, but he was well on his way to finishing the gang! But then when they were gone... that intense eye contact... what the hell was that? He didn't know what to feel anymore. Sure, the anger was still there, but there was more... and the more he thought about what that 'more' was, the less he could grasp it. But something had changed, there was more in the air than anger. If only he could understand what...

Whatever it was, he had to try to forget it. Probably he had only imagined it, and he certainly wouldn't say a word about it in Kaiba's presence. He would only make fun of him again anyway, and that was something he really didn't need after that day.

Since it was time for dinner, Joey dragged himself out of his apartment and into the dining room. He wasn’t in a hurry, as this time he was really overly punctual. When he opened the door to the dining room, he was relieved to be first. He took a seat in his usual chair so that he was sitting with his back to the door. The kitchen maid immediately brought him a glass of water. He had to admit that it was quite pleasant to be served from front to back. But if you had to become an arrogant, cold asshole to be able to afford it, he could safely do without it.

He heard the door open but did not turn around. Mokuba and Kaiba entered the room at the same time and sat down in their usual places. Kaiba's gaze was briefly directed at him and somehow... impenetrable. When Mokuba spoke, he quickly took his eyes off Joey again.

"How are you, Joey? Are you in pain?"

Joey put on a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "Nah, I’m alright."

Then it became quiet again in the room when the food was served. It was delicious as always and everyone enjoyed the meal. When the three of them had finished, the table was cleared away, but it remained silent. Joey watched as Mokuba kept gazing at his brother, demandingly. Had he missed anything?

As Joey was about to leave for the night, Mokuba started talking again. "Hey, Joey, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, whatcha wanna know?"

"Well, you know, I was wondering... what do you do in your spare time, I mean? Do you like to be outdoors?"

"Um..." Joey was overwhelmed with the question for a second and again he was overcome by the feeling that there was something he was missing. But Mokuba’s friendly smile made it easier for him to answer his question. "I don't have any big hobbies or anything. I'm actually always out and about a lot with my friends. I also like to go running, it helps me clear my head. Or I just go for a walk."

"Do you have a favourite place you like to go?" he asked with interest.

"Well, when I have time or holidays, I like to go to the sea. It's not that far from here, you can get there by train and bus in just under two hours. In summer you can go swimming there, I always like that, but in autumn or winter it's also wonderful because there aren't so many people around and you can just relax.”

"By the way, we have a swimming pool in the basement if you want to go for a swim in winter, too," Mokuba admitted with a wink. But before Joey could even say a word back, the older Kaiba brother stood up and spoke with great determination, "We're going on a trip on Saturday, Wheeler. I'll give you the details in the next few days. So be ready."

And with these words, the brunet swept out of the room, leaving behind a somewhat confused Joey Wheeler, and Mokuba Kaiba who had a knowing smile on his lips. Now Joey was quite sure that something was going on here, even though he still had no idea what exactly that was. Could this day actually get any crazier?


	4. Rescue me... from my memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> Waves - Dean Lewis
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/6w8pFOKn42O418qwcQElZ3   
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKlgCk3IGBg 
> 
> There is a swelling storm  
> And I'm caught up in the middle of it all  
> And it takes control  
> Of the person that I thought I was  
> The boy I used to know  
> But there is a light  
> In the dark, and I feel its warmth  
> In my hands and my heart  
> Why can't I hold on?
> 
> ~~~~

The week passed more slowly than Joey would have liked. After Kaiba had stormed out of the dining room on Monday more or less furious - for whatever reason - he had to wait until Thursday evening before the brunet was kind enough to let him in on his plan for a trip. Okay, well, that could also have been because they had essentially only seen each other for breakfast, as Joey had worked in the café on Tuesday and Wednesday and only returned ho… to the mansion after the normal dinner time.

He remembered that he was actually very surprised when Kaiba initiated him into his plan - he suggested - and he wouldn't allow any argument on that - to go to the sea on Saturday. Joey was so surprised because Kaiba had obviously listened to him. That he was able to experience that, that something he said got through to him, was really astonishing!

Anyway, Joey was indeed quite happy about this proposal, he hadn't been to the beach for a long time. As they were just sitting at dinner when Kaiba explained the plan, Joey asked Mokuba if he wanted to come along, too. But he declined, again with a knowing smile on his lips. Slowly Joey was getting fed up with this - he really wanted Mokuba to come clean on him and just tell him what the damn hell was going on that he was having such a hard time noticing!

And now Joey laid in his apartment, in this incredibly comfortable bed, staring at the ceiling. His mobile showed the time - 2:35 am, and he wondered why the heck he was so excited. He told himself that he hadn't been to the sea for a long time and was just looking forward to it in the same way that a child would look forward to its birthday. But was it really just naive, childlike joy, or was there more to it?

At some point, he must have actually managed to fall asleep. But his alarm clock woke him up again at six o'clock - the journey would take two hours and they wanted to leave early to avoid getting caught in a traffic jam. Still very sleepy, Joey rubbed his eyes and got up. He went straight into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on his face in the hope of getting a little more life into his body. The water didn't help much, but when he thought about the day ahead again, he was suddenly wide awake. He put on dark jeans, a warm sweater and his favourite sneakers before heading off for breakfast.

Kaiba was of course in the dining room before him, what else. But there was no trace of Mokuba, the kid probably wanted to sleep in, as was appropriate for a proper Saturday morning. Kaiba, on the other hand, looked as if he had slept through three days - then at least one of them had found a good night's sleep last night.

"Morning," Joey said as he entered the room and sat down in his chair. Kaiba looked up briefly from the newspaper he was reading, mumbled back a quick 'morning' and then returned to the news and his coffee. All black - probably not such a good night after all? Mokuba had told him a few days ago that Kaiba actually preferred to drink his coffee with a sip of milk unless he had slept very badly. Another thing they had in common... damn it.

Silently Joey devoted himself to his breakfast. He poked about in his scrambled eggs - it was delicious as always, but he was just too nervous to eat. What was wrong with him? The tension in the room was also almost unbearable as if they were both waiting for something to happen or someone to say something. But what was there to say?

Energetically Kaiba folded the newspaper, put it aside and looked at Joey. "Are you done?" he asked, perhaps a slight bit too imperious. There was something in Kaiba's eyes that told him he didn't want to say it so harshly. But Joey just nodded. "Sure, we can go, I'll just get my coat." Kaiba nodded too. "Okay, I'll meet you at the entrance in ten minutes."

When Joey, wrapped up warmly, stood at the entrance door a few minutes later, Kaiba was already standing there - in a thin raincoat. "Uh, Kaiba, you know we're going to the seaside, and it's November, right?"

Eye-rolling, he replied, "Spit it out, mutt." Ah, there was the old Kaiba again. Somehow, that calmed Joey down, took away some of the uncertain tension he had noticed the rest of the morning. Even though he didn't agree with his choice of words, of course, but for now he would let that pass.

"Well, it's much colder at the seaside than it is here in the city. You'd better put on something warmer."

With another roll of his eyes, Kaiba set off, back towards the first floor, where Joey's apartment was located as well as the apartment of the brunet. Joey didn't really know whether he should just wait, but instead, he decided to follow him. When Kaiba opened the door to his apartment, Joey hesitated for a moment.

"What's the matter, puppy, you gonna put down roots?" Did Kaiba really open the door to his own apartment for him then? Joey waited for a moment but his curiosity won out and he followed Kaiba into his apartment. Immediately he was stunned - it looked very different from his, even if the cut and number of rooms were similar, the overall size and furnishings were not the same. While his apartment was rather spartan and impersonal, Kaiba's was much more luxuriously furnished. And also more personal. He recognized pictures of his very favourite Blue-Eyes White Dragon, but also a small photo of him and Mokuba when they were children. While Kaiba was looking for a warmer jacket in his dressing room - which was completely stuffed with clothes, unlike Joey’s - the blond looked at the photo hanging in front of him. What had he been like as a child? Had he always been so... stubborn, arrogant? What had made him who he was today?

His thoughts were interrupted when Kaiba cleared his throat a few metres behind him. Joey turned around and nodded with a satisfied smile. Kaiba had put on a dark blue winter jacket that perfectly matched his eye colour... okay, stop! No! Oh man, was he giving himself the same commands in his mind as one would do with a dog? Probably the lack of sleep affected him more than he wanted to admit.

He shook his thoughts aside. "Perfect, then we can start now." And with that, he strutted out of the apartment with his head held high before any more silly ideas could burn into his head.

Joey had actually expected to see the limousine and its driver waiting outside, but they were nowhere to be found. Instead, Kaiba walked purposefully towards a black Audi A8 and got in on the driver's side. Joey took the passenger seat and asked in surprise, "No limo today?”

One could see Kaiba had a silly saying on his lips, but for whatever reason, he decided to give a pretty normal answer. "No, not today. I was planning on driving myself more often anyway, and this is my favourite car." And as Joey buckled his seatbelt, he was amazed at how much he had learned about Kaiba from that one sentence alone.

"I didn't know you already had a driving licence," Joey said in surprise. Kaiba's gaze remained fixed on the road as he replied, "I started driving school when I was 17 and finished the exam the day after my 18th birthday.”

"Wait, isn't your birthday sometime in late October? Does that mean you're still a rookie driver?" Joey was playing up the consternation, of course, but he needed to lighten the mood, make it more normal somehow, so the tension of the morning would at least ease off a bit.

When Kaiba stopped at a red light, he gave Joey a sinister look. "That's called natural talent, mutt. I'm certainly not a complete beginner at anything, at all."

Joey raised his hands defensively and smiled. "Okay, okay, all right, now look at the road again. I'll turn 18 in January too, but I'm not planning to get my driving licence that quickly. But I'm still veeeeeery sure that a green light means that you can drive.” With a cheeky grin, he looked at Kaiba as he cursed to himself and then resumed his drive. Joey was glad that the mood had returned to normal. Lost in thought, he looked out of the window and suddenly noticed that tiredness was catching up with him. He would only close his eyes for a moment, yes, just for a brief moment...

"Hey, Wheeler, wake up, we're here." Sleepily, Joey blinked as he heard Kaiba's voice very close to his ear. He must have fallen asleep after all. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, Kaiba still leaning over a little to wake him up. For a short moment, the two of them just looked into each other's eyes, ice blue met golden brown. And there it was again, this tension, like a few days ago in the schoolyard. Joey couldn't stand it, so he stretched and opened the door to the outside.

Immediately he noticed the salty smell of the sea. The sky was cloudy, but it didn't look as if it was going to rain any time soon. The wind was stronger here than in the city, he could immediately feel that, and he was sure that Kaiba was happy to have chosen a warmer jacket in the end.

"So," the Brunet said, "what do you want to do?" Joey was surprised that he actually had a choice and that the other one hadn't already planned everything down to the minute. Well, maybe it would be a really nice day? Even if it was hard to imagine with his worst enemy at his side.

Joey propped himself up with his forearms on a roughly chest-high wall. In front of him was the beach, which gave access to the sea. A wooden path led over a small hill directly to the sand of the beach, and he could see the pier leading into the sea from afar. Kaiba couldn't know this because he hadn't told him, but it was exactly this pier that he always visited when he was here. Actually, he would consider that a pretty big coincidence, but most of the buses stopped here, so Joey also reached the beach mostly via this access. The blond looked at his mobile phone, it was still early, just before nine in the morning and there were only a few people walking around. Quickly he took a picture and immortalised the beautiful beach and the beating waves on a photo. Then, with a blissful smile - wherever that just came from - he turned to Kaiba and explained, "Let's just go to the beach a little bit and take a walk. There ain’t that many people here yet and it's a great feeling to know we have the beach almost all to ourselves."

Kaiba's gaze remained impenetrable, but he nodded in agreement, put his hands in his pockets and waited for Joey to make the first move. Something was different about Kaiba today, he just couldn't really say what it was. He was... yes, almost bearable today. And for reasons he couldn't understand, Joey was quite happy. Actually, this day was already more beautiful than so many other days he had seen go by lately. He would never admit it out loud, but Kaiba's suggestion to spend a day by the sea was really a pretty perfect idea.

Joey set off and walked the wooden path down to the beach until he felt sand under the soles of his shoes. For a brief moment, he paused, closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the salty, cool sea air. The wind turned his hair into an absolute mess, but he didn't care about that at the moment. He felt somehow light and liberated.

Silently they walked side by side for a while, both in their thoughts and with the hands in their pockets. It was so cold that a small cloud of damp air formed in front of their mouths whenever they exhaled. Joey noticed that Kaiba adjusted the speed of his strides, even his breath, to the speed of himself, and there was something about it that he found eerily reassuring.

After a while, Joey stopped. "Hey, could we go back to that pier over there? Right where we entered the beach?"

"Sure," the taller one replied, and Joey was again blown away by just how tame he was today. But he wouldn’t complain, he actually hoped this day would stay like this.

Joey was the first to set foot on the pier. The waves that gently beat against the stilts were vaguely noticeable and Joey heard the sound of the creaking wood with every step he took. The further he walked on the pier, the more wind came up around his nose, but that didn't bother him at all. Arriving at the front of the pier, and despite the fact that it was quite cold, Joey sat down and looked out over the open sea. Kaiba stopped a few steps behind him and Joey could vaguely see the uncertainty in his gaze.

"C’mon, you can sit next to me, I don't bite," the blond explained with a cheeky grin. He heard a short laugh from Kaiba - not one of the arrogant, spiteful sort, though, but actually a real laugh, even if it was short. "I wouldn't be so sure about that, stray dog." Afterwards, Kaiba took a seat next to him and together they looked out to the open sea, looked towards the horizon.

At some point, Joey just started talking, just expressed his thoughts without thinking about it too much. He couldn't say why he did it, and certainly not why to Kaiba. But it just felt right, and the wind around his nose and the smell of the salty sea somehow gave him an ease that made it easy for him to say his thoughts out loud. "Y’know, I've been here before, right here when my dad and mum were still together. My sister, Serenity, was still very little, but she always gurgled so happily when we were here. I think she'd still like it here today. Man, it feels like centuries ago.”

"How old were you?"

"The last time we were here as a family? About eight or nine. Shortly after, my parents divorced, Serenity went to live with my mum, and I, well, I had to stay with Dad. They had this arrangement, sorta dividing the kids up between ‘em.”

"Are you still in touch with Serenity?”

"Well, yeah, even though she doesn't live in Japan anymore. My mum went back to America, which is where she's from. And of course, she took Serenity with her. We text a lot and talk on the phone every once in a while, but... well, it's not the same. A lot has changed since then."

It was quiet again for a moment and Joey was really surprised. Had they ever had such a civilised, serious conversation without fighting at all? Whatever led to it being the way it was now - he was very happy about it.

"I think it is cruel to tear siblings apart. Mokuba and I were passed from one family to another before we came to Gozaburo, but we were always together. That gave us stability."

Wow. Joey looked at Kaiba with astonishment. He seemed absent-minded, almost as if he was in a completely different place right now. "Thank you," Joey said.

Then Kaiba seemed to come back to reality, frowned and looked at Joey as well, but instead of astonishment one could clearly see his confusion. "What are you thanking me for?"

With a shrug of the shoulders, Joey replied, "For telling me that. I never thought you would ever tell me anything personal about yourself."

Kaiba turned his head back towards the sea, but Joey could still clearly see the rolling of his eyes. "It's no big deal. I'm just responding to what you said."

"I'm just surprised, that's all I wanna say. That's a good thing, Kaiba. No need to get all defensive."

Joey could see Kaiba close his eyes for a moment and take a deep breath. Wow, he seemed to really pull himself together today, actually, he had expected a nasty retort now. But - nothing. Kaiba remained silent, even when he opened his eyes again. Was this really the same person who had treated him so disparagingly a few days ago?

Only now did the blond think about what Kaiba had just confided in him. It was true, Mokuba and he had always been together, and you could feel the strong bond between them, even now, even though Mokuba was not even present. Joey had often seen in the past how much Kaiba wanted to protect his little brother. He was always there for him and would never let him get hurt.

Joey's curiosity was aroused. "What was it like when you were adopted by Gozaburo?" He knew he was taking a risk with his question, putting the almost familiar atmosphere between them at danger. But part of him wanted to test the limits, see how far he could go. And yet he hoped that it would not harm the mood.

With a shrug of the shoulders, the brunet replied, "Just like with all other adoption attempts before. We knew that even this could only be temporary, that we could be sent back to the orphanage again, so we didn't think much of it. Until it was clear that Gozaburo would not let us go.”

"And why were you passed from one family to another before that?"

Joey noticed a short sigh from Kaiba before he replied, "Most of them felt overwhelmed with two adopted children at the same time, so they decided to send us back again and adopt another single child. Staying somewhere without Mokuba was out of the question for me, and I was able to assert myself - every single time. Until Gozaburo came and it was clear that he planned on keeping us.”

This assertiveness was still noticeable today, Joey thought at that moment. He could well imagine how much effort he had to put in when he was so young, but he was also impressed by the absolute will not to go anywhere without Mokuba. He wished he had been able to do the same with Serenity back then.

He pushed his thoughts aside. "When you picked me up on the high-rise a week ago, you said you knew what it was like to grow up in difficult circumstances. Or something like that. It's so hard for me to imagine. Wasn't Gozaburo rich? Aren’t you in this successful position today because he adopted you?”

When Joey noticed the pulsating vein on Kaiba's neck, he quickly added, "Hey, don't get mad, I don't mean that in such a judgmental way as it might have sounded like. I just wanna understand it."

And indeed, Kaiba quickly seemed to calm down again, because he said, "Money isn't everything, puppy. He had power over us, and he knew how to use it.” It seemed as if Kaiba didn't know at that moment how far he could go, or better, how much he wanted to reveal. Carefully and with an almost whispering voice, Joey, therefore, asked, "What has he done?"

Kaiba looked at him with an enigmatic look that Joey didn't know how to interpret. He could clearly see the inner struggle Kaiba was fighting with himself. "You don't have to tell it if you don't want to. Really, I understand that. You've already said so much and…”

"He didn't do anything to Mokuba, thank God, because I would have killed him on the spot if he had harmed him even just a tiny bit," Kaiba interrupted Joey. The blond turned a bit towards Kaiba, signalling that he was listening to him without being unduly intrusive. That seemed to be the last thing Kaiba needed to keep going. "With me, things looked a little different though. I mean, he was putting a lot of pressure on me, always wanted to check all my school stuff, that kind of thing. I didn't find that too bad, though annoying. But he was very strict. If a test was graded an A minus instead of a straight A, I could expect to be punished for it. Sometimes he locked me up in the cellar, sometimes it was a slap in the face, sometimes he got a bit more violent. But that was impossible for outsiders to see because he knew exactly what he was doing, and I did the rest to cover it up as much as possible. He was in the public eye, and if even a little bit of that had gotten out, the punishment would have been much worse - for me, not for him, of course. And if Mokuba had played too wild again and he wanted to punish him, I intervened. We had an unspoken agreement - I could take Mokuba's punishment, but then I had to accept double the punishment. I would have accepted even ten times as much.”

Only now did Joey notice the silent tears running down his cheeks. A few drops were blown away by the wind and joined the millions upon millions of water drops in the sea. "Are you crying, Wheeler?"

"Me? Nah, just something in my eye." With these words, the blond escaped Kaiba’s gaze. But he had to admit, he was very touched by what Kaiba had just told him. And so his own memories slowly came back...

"Kaiba, I'm sorry this happened to you. No one deserves a childhood like that, also not you two."

"We are only who we are because we went through that. Though I am glad Gozaburo is no longer among the living."

"You may be right, but still - no child should experience something like this. But there must have been something comforting that at least you two had each other. I didn't really have anyone. When my parents divorced, I didn't even have Serenity. I missed my mum a lot too, she was always kind of the one bringing the family together. When she was gone and took Serenity with her, my dad didn't like it at all. Well, you saw what he became."

And suddenly all that pain came back, and it threatened to suffocate Joey.

~~~~

Kaiba couldn't say why, but he wanted Wheeler to keep talking. He did not recognise himself. Frankly, he couldn't say when or if he had ever had such a profound conversation. With anyone. And certainly not with the loser Joey Wheeler. Hard to imagine at least, and yet every word, every sentence felt right. As if Wheeler was exactly the person he should tell about that. Because he... trusted him? Now he wanted to test how much Wheeler already trusted him by encouraging him to keep talking.

"Talk to me, Wheeler. Start at the beginning and take your time. But talk." Although his voice sounded strong and determined, it was a nuance softer than it had been a few minutes ago. When Wheeler turned back to him he could see a distinct red colouring in his otherwise golden glowing eyes, and he could detect a slight build-up of anger in his belly, but could not determine exactly what it was he was getting so angry about.

Wheeler sighed and resumed the conversation. "Basically, I recognised some of what you just said. At first, he only hit me where nobody could see. But the more he drank, and it got more and more over the years, the more he didn't care if anyone noticed. There is a teacher at our school who noticed it once. She came to our house because she wanted to talk to my dad about it. But he can be really, really persuasive when he wants to be. She had, of course, announced herself beforehand, so he had forced me to clean the whole apartment beforehand, then he put on fresh clothes, aired out the whole place and hid the alcohol in a secret compartment under a kitchen plank, just in case she wanted to check it. He hadn't even had a drink for a day to make him look as sober as possible as if he was just a normal, single father. Well, she came, I had to sit next to him all the time and come up with all kinds of excuses to exonerate my dad. I don't know, I fell down the stairs, hurt myself at football practice, some kind of lame excuses like that. I used to tell lies like that to Yugi and the others as well - they'd quizzed me about that before, but either they believed me - and I could tell them all these lies very convincingly if I wanted to - or they didn't dare to intervene, maybe because they were afraid I'd get worse or because they just didn't know how. I can't blame them at all, I always refused any help and wanted to make them believe that they were imagining things. And to be perfectly honest I was glad when they stopped asking, even though Yugi in particular still emphasizes today that he is there for me when I need something and that he is at my side. Well, this incident with the teacher, unfortunately, had bad consequences for me, because when she was gone again, I knew I was lost and she wouldn't be able to do anything without solid evidence. That night he drank even more than he usually did, perhaps to make up for the one day of abstinence, and I had to stay home for over a month because he had broken my nose and beaten my whole face. At the hospital, I told them something about how I fell down the stairs or so, and unfortunately, my dad was so damn convincing again that they believed us. He's a fucking good actor if he wants to be, he was able to show them how worried he was about his only child, who was the only one he still had after his wife left him and took their daughter with her. With tears and everything. Freaking disgusting, this guy. Well, in the time that followed, he was a bit more in control of himself and again he only hit where nobody could see, so there were no more questions. But there is still a scar on my left nose wing, not visible to most people because they don't know where to look, but I see it, every day when I look at myself in the mirror, and all the memories are back. Sometimes I put make-up on it, but the feeling that it’s there still burns into my skin. Whether I see it or not."

Kaiba took Wheeler's chin and turned it towards him. And indeed - he could see the small scar the blond had just elaborated about. That damn...! An irrepressible rage rose up in him, at this father who had abused his child so badly and tried everything to cover it up. He swore to God that if he ever met that dumbass again...

"It's alright, Kaiba. Really." But from Wheeler's faint sobbing and the fact that all the sparkle had disappeared from his eyes, Kaiba could sense that it was not alright. Nothing was alright at all.

"No, it’s not. This... fucking asshole..." Kaiba's words triggered something in Joey. All the dams collapsed and he crouched down sobbing, hugged his legs, breathing harshly. Damn, how should Kaiba deal with this, what should he do? He had to do something at least.

"Wheeler, look at me." He took his arms and pulled him so that he had to look at him. The smaller one was shaking like a leaf. "This shouldn't have happened. This fucking bastard... there's gotta be some way to bring him to justice for this."

Sniffing, Joey said, "I learned at some point that this is not gonna happen because he was able to cover up the evidence very well. I always had to take care of both of us somehow, too, because he didn't bother and preferred to spend his day with his ass on the sofa and the bottle in his hand. Cleaning, shopping, cooking, I ran the entire household. I also always had to give him everything I earned in my part-time jobs as well. I had to grow up really early."

"And you shouldn't have. He took away your childhood."

Joey seemed to be calming down. "Well, somebody had to work so we could make ends meet, so what was I supposed to do?" And he added, somewhat sheepishly, "The money I earned this week, I gave to him, too."

"What?!" Kaiba was upset - what was Wheeler thinking?

"I don't know... I feel kinda obligated."

Frustrated, Kaiba ran his fingers through his hair and then looked at Wheeler with an intense look. "You stop that right now. You work hard for your money and you don't want that scumbag to get enriched from you. If he wants to pay the rent, he should get off his ass from this damn sofa and go to work. Promise me you're not gonna do that anymore. Promise me you won't send him any more money."

"But..."

"No, puppy. He's been abusing you for years. He doesn’t deserve a single penny from you."

Wheeler's vulnerable look wrecked Kaiba, but he had to stay strong. He wouldn't let him get away with it, he had to insist on that and show strength. After a moment of silence, Wheeler finally agreed noddingly and Kaiba realised that he had held his breath the entire time, which he now exhaled with a loud sound.

"Speaking of money. I should probably pay you rent, I don't wanna be a burden on you."

"Don't be ridiculous, Wheeler. If that's the price I gotta pay to get you out of this shithole, I'm happy to pay it. Besides, you living with us really doesn't make me poor."

"But I eat at your place and everything. Don't you want anything from me?"

"No, nothing. That's part of our deal, I’ve just decided that. And that includes that your father never sees another penny of you. And now, no more talk of money."

Still, both men were turned towards each other. Kaiba continued to hold Wheeler's arms and they looked into each other's eyes with an intensity reminiscent of the situation in the schoolyard. Kaiba noticed that a little bit of the golden colour was returning to Joey's iris, albeit very slowly, and he was glad. But there was one more thing he needed to know. He simply had to ask and take advantage of the openness that united them in this situation.

"Was he also the reason why you wanted to jump there on that high-rise?"

Wheeler swallowed hard. Was that too much for him? Just this one additional question...

"Yeah, mostly. I saw no way out. To be honest, I don't know today whether there really is a way out for me either. Sure, I don't live with him any more, and that helps, but the memories remain. They always will. I don't know if I can live with that."

"You have to try. Do you think you can at least try?"

He faltered and had to look away. "Yes, but... I don't think I can do it alone."

Slowly Kaiba took Wheeler's chin and turned it back in his direction so that the blond had to look at him. "You are not alone. I have promised you that I will try everything to convince you that death doesn’t need to be your last resort. And, damn it, I keep my promises."

Then it got quiet. The sea below was roaring and with time the wind became stronger, rain announced itself. But they remained sitting like that for a while, now and then they looked at each other, otherwise they looked into the endless expanses of the sea. They did not know how much time had really passed in the end, whether it was seconds, minutes or hours. And the stormier the weather got, the calmer the two men became, sitting there lonely on the pier.

At some point, it began to drizzle, but after only a few minutes the storm and the rain became heavier. "Come on, let's go before you look too much like a watered poodle," Kaiba explained. A light smile played around his lips, moved the corners of his mouth up only a little bit, but the most important thing was: it was real. Wheeler seemed surprisingly unrebellious against all the dog metaphors today anyway, and this time too he responded with a smile. He was happy to see a positive expression on his face after all he had just told him. They got up and ran back towards the car as quickly as possible, which fortunately wasn't too far away.

~~~~

Lost in thought, Joey reflected on the day again as Kaiba drove them safely towards home. He gave up trying to avoid the word 'home' - Kaiba's mansion had become more his home in that one week than the apartment with his dad ever was. He was still overwhelmed by his emotions, but also by how openly they had spoken to each other today. Nevertheless - he couldn't help but think that he found this very positive. Kaiba was so passionately angry, and for the first time in his life, Joey felt that he wasn't the cause of it. He got really mad at Joey's dad, and even if he couldn't really explain why Kaiba was so emotionally carried away, he was happy. He had never talked about it so openly with anyone before, ever. But something told him that he could trust Kaiba, and he hoped that this feeling would stay. Would anything change from now on? Or would they fall into old patterns once they were back in the Kaiba mansion?

"Hey," Kaiba said, and Joey looked at him - he had spent the whole car ride so far looking out the window again and watching the passing landscapes.

"Huh?", replied the blond and was curious to know what the brunet had to say. "I'm... I'm sorry that today was such a... let's say, emotional rollercoaster ride. I was hoping you'd come out and have some fun, but I feel I've achieved just the opposite.”

Wow. Joey was speechless for a moment. He had gotten to know Kaiba's emotional side today, which he was sure no one except Mokuba had ever seen before, or that it even existed. And now he apologised. And all this in one single day!

"Could you stop somewhere for a moment? On the hard shoulder or something? Just a quick stop."

Kaiba's gaze implicated how confused he was, but he followed Joey's instructions and stopped on the hard shoulder.

"Well," Joey began, "you don't have to apologise for anything. Just because I wasn't jumping around in happiness doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the day. I really liked the idea, and sometimes the best medicine is to just let your emotions out."

"Still. I want the next trip to be a little more positive. I don't know, have fun or something."

Joey was really perplexed - who was this man, and what had he done with the arrogant rich boy he used to know? At that thought, he had to smile a little involuntarily. "And what do you have in mind?"

Thoughtfully, Kaiba scratched his chin before he said, "I'll think of something." Then he restarted the engine and they went back on the road, back in the direction they had come from this morning, and still, both of them had no idea of how much tighter their bond had become today.


	5. Rescue me... from the attraction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> Wechselt die Beleuchtung - Laing
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/3NRSW83SZpKFkxyQRV3Bwp  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iy_a__xdw4 
> 
> (A German song, basically about seeing someone differently whenever the light changes - so referring to the back and forth of inner feelings)
> 
> Weißt Du es ist wirklich merkwürdig,  
> Irgendwas ist doch los mit dem Licht.  
> Manchmal finde ich dich, ach ich weiß auch nicht,  
> Wenn du da so sitzt und manchmal -  
> Verirrt sich ein Sonnenstrahl auf dein Gesicht,  
> Schatten werden weich  
> Und du erscheinst plötzlich so unwiderstehlich,  
> Doch eine Wolke reicht und der Eindruck weicht.
> 
> (You know, it's really strange,  
> Something's going on with the light.  
> Sometimes I think you are, oh I don't know,  
> When I see you sitting there, and sometimes -  
> A ray of sunlight shines on your face,  
> Shadows soften  
> And you suddenly seem so irresistible,  
> But all it takes is a cloud and the impression fades.)
> 
> ~~~~

"Okay, okay, hold on, wait a sec... Kaiba did  _ what _ ?!" Tristan looked at Joey in disbelief, unable to properly follow what the blond was saying. Yugi and Téa were also looking at Joey critically, all pairs of eyes were now on him as they sat together in the school canteen.

"Dude, I just told you," the blond then declared, annoyed. "Kaiba came up with this deal and now I'm living with him.  _ You _ were the one who put him in this position in the first place, moron!"

"Oh, so now _ I'm _ the one to blame because I tried to save your life?!"

"Guys, guys, don't fight, it's okay now," Téa intervened placatingly.

Joey couldn't understand at all why Tristan was so upset about this. Okay, sure, this deal and the fact that he was now living with Kaiba - albeit at a proper distance - could sound strange. After all, it had for Joey at first, too. But by now it had been a month since all this had happened and he had somehow got used to his new living arrangements. In fact, he wondered why his friends hadn't noticed, since he came to school with Kaiba pretty much every morning. He could hardly imagine that this had remained a secret for long, after all, the news of his suicide attempt had spread quite quickly. Maybe they had suspicions and he was the one who finally confirmed them now. At least they hadn't pressured him or asked him about it in the last few weeks, they had given him time to collect himself.

Today was the first time they really spoke openly again. Joey had decided to tell his friends a little more about his current situation. He knew, of course, that they would have liked to talk to him before, but he just wasn’t ready yet. Still, he knew he wouldn't be able to hide it or keep it a secret forever, and it was his best friends he was talking about here, after all. They deserved to know about what was going on with him.

What that didn't include, however, was Kaiba’s and Joey's trip to the sea. He had thought long and hard about whether to tell them, simply because he couldn't quite assess it himself yet, didn't know how to feel about it, and hoped his friends could help him. But in the end, he decided against it. It seemed wrong to him, something in him wanted to keep this moment to himself, as a secret, so to speak, that only he and Kaiba knew about. They had shared a kind of intimacy that he didn't want to share with anyone else, and he felt that if he told his friends about it, the specialness of it would suddenly disappear. Kaiba and Joey had more or less returned to their usual everyday life in the weeks that followed; they hadn't talked about what had actually happened afterwards either. Somehow a distance had built up that was characterised by insecurity. Joey could only talk about himself, but he was afraid that one wrong word about it could destroy the uniqueness of their day out.

Joey awoke from his daydreams when he felt Téa's hand on his sleeve. "Hey, Joey, are you alright?" she asked anxiously. "Uh, yeah sure, just had a thought. What were you guys talking ‘bout?"

"Well," Tristan began again, "don't you think Kaiba's behaviour is weird? I mean, sure, I expected him to do something, otherwise, I wouldn't have threatened him like that, and dude, I'm really glad he did it. But letting you stay with him? And then this strange deal?"

Joey shrugged his shoulders. "He said he was just covering his ass. In case I do end up doing it, that he can prove he really tried everything, in case the press tries to pressure him anyway." When Joey hinted that he might put his plan into action, after all, he looked into wide-open eyes, but no one said anything about it. Because they didn't know what? Or how? It was fine with Joey, he would only answer evasively anyway - they probably suspected that and didn't want to pressure him unnecessarily. They also seemed happy that he had now opened up a bit and probably didn't want Joey to retreat back into his shell. He was sure, however, that at some point he would have to explain in detail how this plan had come about in the first place. He had only vaguely hinted at it in the farewell letters. And as easy as it was for him to explain the reasons to Kaiba at the seaside, it was still difficult for him to open up to his best friends. Damn, wasn't it supposed to be the other way around?

And anyway, this was about Kaiba, not him. Tristan probably thought that way too when he said, "Well, businessman through and through, huh? What an asshole." Tristan's displeasure riled Joey. He was aware, of course, that Kaiba wasn't doing this out of pure selflessness and compassion. That would have been ridiculous to believe, after all, they were the worst enemies. But what if something had changed after their journey the sea? Joey couldn't shake the feeling that it had an impact on their... 'relationship' with each other. Or was that just wishful thinking? Admittedly, their behaviour towards each other hadn't changed that much. Sometimes they argued, sometimes they were silent, sometimes they were just politely distanced. Nothing was different than before - was it?

Besides, Kaiba had said he would think about a next trip, and so far there hadn't been any suggestions from his side. However, Joey had to say that the first idea had more or less fallen into his lap because Mokuba had asked Joey about the stuff he liked doing. The younger Kaiba brother hadn't done any more questioning in the last few weeks, so maybe Kaiba just lacked a real clue. Maybe Joey should come up with something - even if he was exactly as clueless as the brunet. They had been living together for more than a month now, it was early December, and Joey still had no idea what Kaiba did in his spare time. Did he actually have much of it? He resolved to ask Mokuba, maybe that would help. He just knew he wouldn't want to keep sitting around waiting for Kaiba to come up with what was probably only a half-baked suggestion anyway. Furthermore, he had the feeling he wanted to return the favour. For some reason absolutely unknown to him, he was very grateful for the day. Yes, it had been emotionally draining and he had had the nerve to cry in front of him, but instead of pushing him away, Kaiba had listened and even understood him. He was on his side - at least that one day.

Suddenly, Joey was aggravated by this entire conversation with his friends. "He will have had his reasons. I don't understand why you're suddenly so interested in Kaiba's motives, you usually don't give a shit about him either." Joey didn't feel like talking about it any more. He even felt he had to defend Kaiba here somehow. A few weeks ago, he would never have believed that he would ever do this, but somehow he had the feeling that Kaiba was being wronged.

Snorting angrily, he got up to go back to the classroom. He wanted to spare himself further discussions and questions, of which there would certainly be a lot more.

Before stomping off in a huff, he looked for a brief moment in Kaiba's direction, who had sat down at a single table, alone, as usual. He was aware that he had said his last sentences rather loudly, and Kaiba's look confirmed that he must have heard every word. There was something indefinable in his gaze, and Joey didn't want to sink into another maelstrom of thoughts trying to understand what the hell Seto Kaiba was actually thinking. He just had to get out of here and head straight back to the classroom.

He breathed a sigh of relief when school was finally over. His friends more or less kept their distance for the rest of the school day, and Joey was relieved and embarrassed by it in equal measure. He just needed a moment to take a breath. He would write them all an apology tonight and talk to them again tomorrow. Guiltily, he admitted to himself that he had probably reacted a little too hot-temperedly, and he would definitely apologise for that.

Kaiba was going straight to work again today, so they wouldn't see each other until dinner. Joey had a free evening, so he went straight back to the mansion. Once there, he sent a message directly to his friends. He had no clue why he had reacted so emotionally. Normally, he’d joyfully join a conversation when it came to insults towards Kaiba. But when Tristan had made such disparaging remarks, Joey simply blew a fuse. Hopefully, they wouldn't be mad at him for his behaviour.

At dinner, he met Mokuba and Kaiba. It was surprisingly quiet and little was actually said. "Hey guys, I'm going to go do some homework, got a huge essay to write," Mokuba explained with a groan.

"Good luck, Mokuba. If ya need help, you'd better ask your brother, I'm afraid I'm a bit of a sucker at that sorta thing!" With these words, Joey said goodbye to Mokuba but stayed at the table for a moment. When Mokuba had left, the older Kaiba brother also made an effort to leave.

"Hey, Kaiba," Joey held him back, "you got a minute?"

"What do you want, puppy?"

Ah, there it was again - 'puppy'. For a long time, he had always been a 'stray dog' or a 'mutt', but by now Kaiba had linguistically settled on 'puppy'. Was Joey reading too much into it if he thought that was an improvement?

"I've been thinking. Do you mind if I come up with something, regarding another trip or so?"

"If you want, I won’t stop you."

"Cool, so is there anything you... I don't know, like to do? In your spare time or something?"

Kaiba narrowed his eyes and grumbled in reply, "I have a company to run, Wheeler, and I also go to the same school as you. I don't have time to spare." And with that being said, the taller one left. What had made him so pissed off all of a sudden? Annoyed, Joey went back to his apartment.

He stayed awake for a long time that night. He had hoped that if he laid down in his bed and thought hard enough, he might come up with a bright idea, but he had no luck. He had to be able to talk to Mokuba somehow, maybe he could still help him.

As if by divine providence, he met Mokuba in the hallway on his way to breakfast the next morning. So he was able to intercept him briefly before they met Kaiba in the dining room.

"Good morning, Joey," the little boy greeted him and was about to continue on his way towards breakfast. "Good morning, hey, d’ya have a minute, can I ask ya something?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"It's about your brother. You know, we went on that trip a couple of weeks ago and well, I thought maybe I could return the favour or something." Blushing, Joey scratched the back of his head and Mokuba smiled that conspiratorial smile again before replying, "Sounds like a good plan!"

"Can ya tell me if Kaiba has any hobbies? Anything he likes to do in his spare time?"

"Um, let's see. I can't really think of anything. He doesn't really have that much free time anyway."

Joey sighed. "Yeah, I got the same answer from him. He just put it a little differently."

Mokuba gave a short laugh. "Yeah, I can vividly imagine that. So, I think the only thing he does sometimes is to use our gym, to balance out the stress. Other than that, though, he's not very interested in sports, so he's not a fan of any particular sport or team or anything. Sorry, I guess I'm not much of a help."

Defensively, Joey raised his hands. "No, no, that's perfectly okay, you've helped me a lot, thank you. Come on, let's go get some breakfast."

That was a straight lie because nothing Mokuba said was really helping him at all, but he didn't want to make that too obvious. The kid had really meant well, after all. But he hadn't got much out of it. So he had to think of something on his own.

After school, he made his way to the café where he worked, and while taking orders or serving drinks, he kept thinking feverishly about what they could do, but he just couldn't come up with anything. He had to find another way to do research.

He knew he wouldn't see Kaiba for dinner tonight because he was getting home late. Therefore, he briefly texted him on his mobile phone during his break.

'Hey, Kaiba, is there a computer somewhere in the mansion that I could use tonight when I get home?'

He was surprised when a reply appeared on his display just a minute later.

'Will take care of it.'

What was that supposed to mean now? Somehow he had the feeling that both Kaiba brothers wanted to make things unnecessarily difficult for him today. Must run in the family.

He arrived at the Kaiba mansion around 9 in the evening and walked purposefully towards his apartment. He would now treat himself to a long, warm shower after the exhausting day. When he came into the bedroom and sat down on the bed to get rid of his shoes, he discovered something on the desk. Frowning, he went over and couldn't believe what he was seeing: a brand new laptop, still in its original packaging, according to the packaging with the operating system pre-installed and all the bells and whistles. So this is what Kaiba had meant by 'I'll take care of it'. Shaking his head, he unpacked the new device and turned it on. Okay, it apparently had to do the automatic initial set up first, so Joey took out his phone and sent Kaiba a message.

'Thanks for looking after it, but it's a bit much. I'll give you the money back, should have it in a couple of weeks.'

He was about to head for the shower when his phone buzzed. Man, for Kaiba not having any free time, he could answer messages really damn fast.

'Forget it, puppy. Just think of it as a loan.'

Great, dominant as ever. Rolling his eyes, Joey headed for the shower while the laptop continued to work automatically on its initial setup.

When Joey stepped back into the bedroom, he felt like a new man. A shower like that could really do a world of good. The laptop was also set up and after a few quick clicks, he was ready to go. Then his phone buzzed again.

'aL()$KKLsbjk9'

Uh, what...?

'Have you been drinking, Kaiba? Or did you happen to fall asleep on your phone keypad?'

That thought made Joey laugh involuntarily.

'That's the wifi password, you idiot. You have a brain for a reason, you know...'

Oh man, Joey could have thought of that. He typed it in and was immediately connected to the internet.

'Thanks, asshole. Good night.'

'Good night, puppy.'

Kaiba's last message seemed so gentle, somehow. Joey really needed to pull himself together now, he was reading far too much into this again. If Kaiba were to stand in front of him, he would probably stare at him absolutely condescendingly, as usual. So much for the gentleness of his words.

Now the research could begin, but what was he actually looking for? The only keyword Mokuba had given him was sport. Well, not even that, actually, he had only told him that Kaiba liked to make use of the in-house fitness room. That didn't really get him anywhere.

Suddenly, he zoned out. So there it was, another thing they had in common. Joey was also quite sporty, going to the gym from time to time, although lately, he was more into running. He hadn't used the Kaibas' gym yet, so maybe he'd just jump at the chance and do it. Amazing how much they had in common actually. From the involuntary deal they had sealed, the violent father (even if in Kaiba's case it was the adoptive father), yes, even the preferences of how they liked to drink their coffee were very similar. If someone had told him just a few weeks ago that he had something in common with Seto Kaiba, the filthy rich, arrogant asshole and company boss, he would have laughed straight into that person's face. And yet he found out more and more things that connected them. It was crazy how quickly things could change.

And suddenly an idea came to him. One thing was still missing from his list of commonalities. And now he would use it.

~~~~

Kaiba drummed his fingers nervously on the table. The puppy - this stupid nickname had found its way into his vocabulary and just wouldn't go away - had sent him a message last night saying he now had a suggestion Kaiba couldn't refuse. Now he was waiting here at the breakfast table, they had agreed to meet ten minutes before the normal breakfast time to discuss it briefly. And of course, Wheeler was late again, two minutes already. Oh, great, now it was three minutes.

Annoyed, Kaiba rolled his eyes and was about to get up to get a coffee when the blond burst into the room.

"Morning, Wheeler, up already?"

"What are you already so pissed off about so early in the morning?"

"Maybe next time I should give you a watch instead of a laptop. Then you won't be late all the time either."

Horrified, Wheeler looked at him. "I might be two minutes or so late. Now don't be so petty!"

With a raised eyebrow, Kaiba replied, "It's three, and since time is also money, I'm very fussy about punctuality."

Wheeler had to take a deep breath, then raised his hands defensively. "All right, I don't wanna argue with ya."

With those words, the puppy (argh!) walked towards the coffee machine. Ah, with milk, so at least he had been able to sleep quite well then.

"Weren't you still going to discuss your proposal with me?" Kaiba asked, actually curious. He had been thinking about what they could do for weeks, but no idea was good enough. Their trip to the sea, despite all the emotions running high, had been marked by so much... connectedness (?) that nothing he could think of could even slightly keep up with it. And he didn't want to make any half-perfect suggestions. Mokuba hadn't been much of a help either, so he was very surprised that Wheeler had apparently managed to come up with an idea within 24 hours. The only question was how good it was.

"Yeah, but..."

"But what?"

"Well, I don't know if it's that good."

"Why don't you let me decide? Come on, out with it." Kaiba was getting impatient. This couldn't bode well...

Wheeler turned to him and looked him straight in the eye, swirling his coffee cup in his hand to blend black and white. Unbelievable how much they were alike when it came to their coffee habits.

"Okay. Since you weren't much of a help, I asked Mokuba. He told me that next to the swimming pool there's also an in-house fitness room that you like to use. Well, so I thought we could do a little sports challenge in the gym. Or something..."

For a few seconds, they looked at each other in silence until Wheeler turned away. "Yeah, I know, stupid idea. It's not even really a trip or anything."

"I'll demolish you, puppy. When and where are we meeting?"

The surprise was apparent in Wheeler's eyes as he turned back to him, closely followed by a look of fighting spirit on his face. "How ‘bout tonight? I don't have to work."

"Sounds good, seven o'clock. Have you been to our gym yet?"

"No, but I'll find it."

"Seven o'clock, I'll pick you up at your apartment." And with that being said, Kaiba sat back down in his seat, allowing no argument. Just then the door opened, Mokuba entered and breakfast was served.

It was half-past six when Kaiba called it a day and left his company building. Just enough time to go to his apartment and put on some sports clothes. He had even eaten a snack at KaibaCorp, as he surely didn't want to run out of breath during training. He didn't want to admit it, but the puppy had awakened his ambition. He was really excited to see what he would do.

At 7 p.m. sharp - some people in this house appreciated punctuality more than others - he stood in front of Wheeler's door, but instead of knocking, he took out his key card, pulled it through the designated slot and entered the apartment. There was no sign of Wheeler until he heard it rustle from the dressing room. With quick steps, he went in the direction from which the noises came and discovered Wheeler, who had already put on shoes and sports shorts but had not yet decided on a T-shirt. Kaiba had to acknowledge that Wheeler, who had his back turned and probably hadn't noticed him yet, looked quite muscular. This promised to be an interesting evening.

As Wheeler grabbed a T-shirt and pulled it on, Kaiba cleared his throat to draw attention to himself. The puppy turned around - and did a slight blush just come over his cheeks?

"Kaiba, ever heard of privacy, you peeping Tom?"

"No, but I've heard of punctuality, unlike you. Can we go now?"

"Sure, I’ll destroy ya!"

They left the apartment and took the lift down to the basement. There, in addition to the swimming pool and the fitness room, was a sauna, but Kaiba had never used it before.

He opened the door to the gym with his key card and entered. He could hear Wheeler marvelling behind him. "Wow, I didn't imagine it to be that big."

"That's what she said*..." Kaiba muttered to himself, almost hoping Wheeler hadn't heard him - whatever just had come over him, he didn't normally just make some flat joke.

But Wheeler had heard it and immediately let out a loud snort of laughter. "Okay, you won the prize for the biggest flat joke. Let's see who wins the prize for the greatest sportsmanship."

Sheer ambition flashed in Wheeler's eyes, and for a moment their eyes duelled. Kaiba leaned against the wall, arms crossed in front of his body. "So, your game, Wheeler."

"Why don't we start with something easy? Twenty push-ups?"

"Is that all you've got, puppy?" Grinning mischievously, Kaiba got into position and waited for the blond to do the same. They both gave it their all and finished at about the same time. It was pretty obvious that this was no real challenge for either of them.

"Tie, I'd say," Wheeler gave with a grin.

"Well, how about a bigger challenge? Thirty reps on the shoulder press, with, let’s say, ten kilos?"

Wheeler licked his lips, then agreed. Though he wouldn't admit it, Kaiba was a little impressed by the blond's aggressiveness and fighting spirit.

Kaiba started voluntarily - already much more strenuous than the push-ups, but he was able to pull it off. The first drops of sweat settled from his forehead and flowed down his temples towards the floor.

It was Wheeler's turn. All the time he was looking Kaiba straight in the face, who was standing casually against the wall opposite him, his hands in his pockets. Wheeler had to fight a little more than the brunet did, but in the end, he was also successful. Kaiba watched him closely. He could see Wheeler's muscles working under his shirt and the shirt tightening in the appropriate places when he pushed the weight up. And for some reason, he couldn't take his eyes off him, even as drops of sweat dripped onto his shirt.

With a broad smile, Wheeler finished the task. "Okay, another tie. Maybe we should time the next exercise and see who is faster? I want a competition, not a continuous tie." He dried the sweat from his forehead with a towel and waited for Kaiba's reply.

He nodded. "What do you suggest?" Wheeler approached him until he was standing only about a metre away from him and looked him intensely and aggressively in the eye. "Leg press, 15 kilos, 30 reps."

And as Kaiba walked past Wheeler on his way to the training device, he leaned down briefly to the blond and whispered provocatively in his ear, "You don't stand a chance, puppy," at which the blond looked up so that their faces were suspiciously close. "Which remains to be proven, dragon." Kaiba almost felt a little intoxicated, and why did the word 'dragon' give him goosebumps? He had to get a grip, this was a competition after all, and he would try with all his might to win.

So he set to work, and Wheeler took the time with his phone. The puppy faced him in such a way that he could dimly make him out through the sports device. There was no mistaking the challenging grin. He would show him.

After the exercise, he was indeed quite out of breath, and when he caught his breath and wiped his face and neck with a towel, Wheeler gave him the time. "Not bad, three minutes twelve seconds. My turn now." He handed his phone to Kaiba, who waited for his signal and then started the timer. You could tell that he was struggling, but Kaiba had to admit that he was fighting through. He was again impressed by the blond’s ambition and will to win - a new commonality.

The puppy also had to regain his strength after the exercise. Kaiba stopped the time, went to Wheeler and showed him his time.

"I guess I won, puppy. Three minutes twenty seconds. Close but not close enough." This only seemed to spur Wheeler on even more.

"Okay, showdown. I saw two pairs of boxing gloves back there. Whoever gets their opponent down first wins the whole match."

Kaiba nodded. "Deal."

They put the boxing gloves on and looked each other in the eye, ready for the fight. They both waited for a little while as if neither wanted to make the first move. Kaiba waited to let the puppy come first and show what it could do.

And then the first fist flew in his direction, which he was able to fend off with ease. After a short while, he could see that Wheeler lacked technique. He was too impulsive and didn't pay enough attention to his guard. Kaiba held back a little, not wanting to seriously hurt the blond. But if he wanted to win, he had to step it up a notch. And indeed - after they had been fighting for a few minutes, Kaiba was able to bring down Wheeler with a few deft hand movements, who cursed loudly as he hit the ground.

"Damn. I'll finish you next time, dragon!" he said, stroking the back of his head. Still breathing rapidly, Kaiba pulled off his gloves, tossed them into the corner and held out his hand to Wheeler. After a look of astonishment in Wheeler's eyes, he too removed his gloves and grabbed Kaiba's hand, who must have lifted him up with a little too much force, because the blond almost landed in his arms. For a brief moment they didn't move, Wheeler's hand on Kaiba's chest. Kaiba told himself that his elevated pulse rate was still from the exercise, but if he was honest, that involuntary touch triggered a feeling inside him that he couldn't place.

"Good fight, my puppy. You can get in the shower here by the gym, I'm going to the shower at the pool around the corner." With that, the brunet detached himself from Wheeler, grabbed his shower towel and headed towards the shower. He really needed to put distance between them or otherwise, he would be going to go crazy.

~~~~

Left behind was a confused Joey Wheeler. Still breathless, he tried to make sense of what had happened here today. Apparently, they had now established firm nicknames for each other, and even if he was a bit annoyed by the fact that he had said 'dragon' to Kaiba so often - when the brunet called him 'my puppy', his heart stopped for a second. But the very next moment he told himself that it was still the after-effects of the boxing match that made his heart beat so fast. He took a few deep breaths and then went into the shower. He let the warm water run over his body and enjoyed the moment of peace until his thoughts caught up with him again. Those looks, the touch, 'my puppy'.... again he was frustrated that he couldn't get the image of the ice-blue eyes glaring at him pugnaciously out of his head. He switched the water to ice cold, and sure enough, it helped to take his mind off things. He quickly finished the shower, dried himself off, put on fresh boxers and a pair of jeans and went over to the mirror to fix his hair. Then he put on a fresh T-shirt as well as his shoes and made his way into the hallway, where he immediately met Kaiba. There were still a few drops of water running down from his wet hair and it was not as neatly arranged as usual, it looked rather... wild. And once again, his dark blue shirt perfectly highlighted the colour of his eyes. Joey moaned softly to himself, he really needed to take his mind off things.

"I'll destroy ya next time, Kaiba."

The brunet laughed briefly before replying, "In your dreams, Wheeler."

And with those words, they both headed off to their respective apartments. Joey hated to admit it, but despite the defeat, he had really enjoyed the evening. That night he would dream of ice-blue eyes, and just a few feet away, ice-blue ones dreamed of golden brown ones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *An allusion to a phrase Michael Scott often says in "The Office": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXlkmPXDvqU


	6. Rescue me... from the Christmas melancholy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> Naturally - Selena Gomez 
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/1YaVmBh7EAeR54FIjuFcb5?si=s4Epq_RETmeoJVpI440QhA  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_YR4dKArgo 
> 
> You have a way of moving me  
> A force of nature,  
> Your energy  
> It comes Naturally  
> It comes Naturally  
> And it takes my breath away
> 
> ~~~~

And so the weeks went by. By now it was mid-December, just under two weeks until Christmas, and the pre-Christmas season was at its peak. Joey liked the positive atmosphere that emanated from this time of year. The trees on the streets were festively decorated and a colourful sea of lights filled the city's neighbourhoods. He also had the impression that people were somehow more cheerful than usual during this time of the year.

But for him, it was also a time of melancholy, because he became very aware of the fact that he had no family. He would count his mum and Serenity as family though, but they were so far away, not present in this time that many spent closely with their loved ones. Joey hadn't had the chance to do that for a very long time. His mum and Serenity had never been to visit him here since they had left for the US, and he didn't think that would change anytime soon. He tried not to let it get too close to him and still see the positives of the holidays, but he found it a little harder every year that passed by.

Nothing had really changed between Kaiba and him after their last experience together in the gym - it was as if they didn't really know how to deal with each other after every such meeting. As if they were afraid of doing something wrong and thus destroying the magic of the moment. So, as usual, they lived next to each other, ate together or went to school together. And Joey wondered if that would ever change, if the atmosphere of those special moments would eventually carry over into their everyday lives. He hoped it would, even if just a little.

"Hey, Joey, is everything okay?" Mokuba asked, sitting at the side of him at the breakfast table. Joey poked absent-mindedly at his food, only now coming back to reality.

"Huh? Yeah, sure, just thinking about Christmas, that's all," he replied with a smile. The gleam in Mokuba's eyes clearly showed his enthusiasm for the holidays, and enthusiastically he said, "Oh, I love Christmas! Speaking of which, there's the legendary, European-inspired Christmas market in Kaiba-Land this weekend! With roller coasters, lots of other rides, roasted almonds, mulled wine and stuff. We should go together! Joey, you can also ask your friends if they want to come along."

Joey was immediately hooked on this idea. Maybe that would chase away his Christmas blues a bit and get his mind off things.

"Sounds great! I'll ask everyone at school today," Joey said before looking over at Kaiba, who was sitting across from him, and asking, "Are you coming, too?"

He just snorted, but then replied, "If I have to. I need to go now, I'm going to my home office for a bit before we leave for school. Don't be late again, puppy!"

When Kaiba had disappeared, Joey exhaled audibly. Kaiba really wasn’t quite the morning person.

"Don't feel bad, Joey, Seto has never liked Christmas," Mokuba explained.

"Why is that?"

Shrugging his shoulders, the teen replied, "I don't really know either, to be honest. I always have to force him to let us buy a tree and decorate it. He does have a present for me every year, and I do for him, but he never really seems to enjoy this time and seems glad when it's finally over. It’s actually like that with pretty much all festivities during the year, come to think of it."

Mokuba had to laugh at that, and Joey joined him. Yes, he could vividly imagine that, even if he wanted to understand why that was the case after all.

"Come on, let's get going or that dragon of your brother will behead me." Grinning, Joey made his way to the car, which was already waiting for them outside the door, as was Kaiba.

At the lunch break, the friends were sitting together again in the canteen, and that's when Joey took the chance to ask his friends about the Christmas market. "Hey, Mokuba invited me to go to the Christmas market in Kaiba-Land. Do ya guys feel like coming, too? It's this weekend."

As he looked into three excited faces, it was clear that each of them was absolutely game. "Great idea!" Yugi replied first. Téa and Tristan also nodded vigorously and Joey was very glad they would come along.

Then Tristan asked, "Is that arrogant asshole back there gonna come, too?"

Joey looked over at Kaiba, who was sitting at his usual table and at that very moment also raised his eyes. Joey smiled a little sheepishly before averting his gaze again and looking at his friends. "Guess so, albeit reluctantly." The whole group then burst out laughing.

Joey turned his sight at Kaiba again, who continued to watch him, and something in his gaze looked... hurt? Did he think they had laughed at him? Well, technically speaking they had, but not out of spite. Joey tried to express those words with his gaze, whereupon Kaiba's eyes seemed to soften a little. Then both men turned away from each other and back to their food.

Joey had been totally excited all week thinking about the Christmas market at the weekend. Somehow it was very special, and he had also never been to Kaiba-Land before and was looking forward to the new experience. He was also happy that his friends were allowed to join, even though he was very curious to see how they would get along with Kaiba. Since Joey had been living with him, he felt part of two worlds - Kaiba's and the 'normal' world, if you could put it that way. What would eventually happen when the two worlds collided? All he hoped was that it wouldn't end in a fight.

Saturday, the day the group set off for the Christmas market, was the first bright sunny day in a long time. It had rained a lot in the last few weeks, and if it hadn't rained, it was at least very cloudy. Snow had not yet announced itself, but it would probably be snowing soon because the temperatures kept dropping and were only minimally above freezing point today. So Joey put on both his scarf and gloves, his thick green winter coat and his lined winter boots. He pulled his dark blue jeans over the boots and took another look at himself in the dressing room mirror. Satisfied with his reflection, he made his way to the limousine that would take him, Mokuba and Kaiba to Kaiba-Land.

Of course, the Kaiba brothers were already waiting impatiently for him. Joey got in and took a seat next to the older Kaiba, while the younger Kaiba sat jitterily opposite them, unable to hide his pleasant anticipation. Joey had to grin when he saw the smaller one like that.

"You excited, Mokuba?" the blond asked.

"You bet! I don't even know what I want to do first. Go on the roller coaster? Or buy some raffle tickets first? Oh, it's so exciting!"

Joey laughed gently as he buckled his seatbelt and the vehicle began to move. Kaiba hadn't said a word or made a sound yet. He wondered what was going through his mind.

He didn't have long to think about it, though, because the ride was over sooner than he had anticipated. They got out and already saw Yugi, Tristan and Téa waiting for them at the entrance.

"Hey, buddies!" Joey greeted them, waving. While the friends greeted each other, Kaiba always stayed a few steps behind them, yet Joey could feel the taller one's cold stare at his back. He tried to ignore the goosebumps his gaze caused and started this day’s adventure with the others, beaming with joy.

As soon as they had passed through the large entrance gate - when the staff noticed that Kaiba was there, they were all allowed in for free - Joey was immediately amazed. "Wow..." he muttered to himself and let his eyes wander. He admired the colourful lights and beautiful decorations. It wasn't as tacky as he had imagined. There were fairy lights and little lanterns hung in the trees that lined the paths. He looked up at Kaiba, who was standing next to him at that moment. The taller one was dressed all in black today, and even though Joey wondered why he was dressed as if he was going to a funeral, it suited him perfectly, accentuated his dark hair and made his eyes shine in an even more intense blue.

Kaiba returned the look and Joey could see him relax a short for a moment. But then Tristan shouted, "Maaaaaaan, guys, we've got to ride this roller coaster!" and Joey could instantly see Kaiba straightening up again as if bracing himself to get through this day in the group. With his look, Joey wanted to tell him, 'You can do it' and hoped he would understand. It was funny to see how they had learned to communicate through looks instead of words. At least they weren't arguing all the time, and Joey was looking forward to exploring the Christmas market with his friends.

First, they tried out the roller coaster, which appeared like a Chinese dragon. Kaiba, the sourpuss, wasn't very interested and waited for them outside the ride. Joey, on the contrary to him, was having the time of his life - at every turn, at every loop, he squealed like a little child and gurgled with happiness. When they got off, the adrenaline made him shake and he had to hold on to a railing at the side of the track not to fall over immediately. His friends started laughing and Joey had to join in the laughter. He enjoyed the positive atmosphere and their good mood was simply contagious.

In the meantime, Kaiba had also rejoined them and was scrutinising Joey, still with a firm grip on the railing. "Are you okay, puppy?" he asked in a way that only Joey could hear it.

Joey wiped tears of laughter from his eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine, that thing was pretty badass. How many loops did ya put in there, Kaiba?" He still couldn’t stop smiling, no use of trying anyway.

"The park and attractions were designed for me by other people. I'd rather take care of the games."

Joey, managing to move slowly away from the railing, took a step towards him. He probably wouldn't get the grin off his face today. "I’m sure they're just as cool as the attractions here." And there it was again, that intense eye contact, and Joey felt like they were alone, just for that one, brief moment. Until suddenly Téa's voice rang out. "Hey, Joey, come on, let's go!"

"All right, coming!" And with that, he averted his gaze and followed his friends. And as he passed Kaiba, their hands grazed for just a second, and Joey could clearly feel the touch through their gloves. When Joey reached his friends, who were talking animatedly with Mokuba, he turned around briefly to make sure that Kaiba was still following them. Kaiba nodded to Joey and also started moving again without taking his eyes off him, which made Joey smile softly. Who was the puppy here now?

Next, they ate okonomiyaki at a stall before participating in a ticket raffle draw at the next one. Unfortunately, Joey had bad luck, but Mokuba won a small cuddly toy. Then, they bought some roasted almonds and went on to the next ride, a kind of space simulator that made them feel weightless. Afterwards, they all went for a ride on the bumper cars, where Joey's life was made hell by his friends so that he was afraid of suffering whiplash.

When Mokuba, Tristan, Téa and Yugi insisted on trying out the freefall tower, Joey waved them off. "Sorry, guys, I need a break. Go ahead without me, I'll get something to drink in the meantime." So the friends trudged off and Joey was left with Kaiba, to whom he now turned. "Mulled wine?" he asked him with a smile. Would he ever get that grin off his face today?

Kaiba nodded and pointed him in the right direction with a motion of his head. They decided on the non-alcoholic but no less delicious option, and since Kaiba ordered the two drinks, he, of course, didn't have to pay anything for them again. As they held the cups of warm liquid in their hands, they sat down on a wall about waist high a little away from the hustle and bustle.

"It's really great here, Kaiba. Mokuba’s idea of coming here was awesome."

"Yeah, maybe it really wasn't such a bad idea."

"Wow, I should tell Mokuba that you did something besides grumble today." Amused, he poked him in the side with his elbow, earning a scowl in return. But nothing, not even the grim expression of a Seto Kaiba, could dissuade him from his good mood now.

For a moment they just sat next to each other in silence before Joey spoke up again. "Hey, Kaiba, can I ask you something?"

"Would I even have a chance to stop you?"

Joey laughed out loud. "Probably not, no." After a moment's silence, Joey said, "Mokuba told me you don't like Christmas. Why?"

Kaiba took a big gulp of his mulled wine. "I just don't see the point. I know Mokuba does, so I give him presents every year, but I never expect anything in return. To me, the Christmas holidays are days just like any other."

Joey turned a little to Kaiba. "Oh, come on, there must be more to it than that." Joey looked curiously at Kaiba, hoping he would reveal the real reason. The brunet seemed to wrestle with himself, but when he returned the blond's gaze, he began to speak. "The last time we celebrated Christmas properly was when our parents were still alive. And Gozaburo didn't care much for it either - that's probably why it's so important to Mokuba now. I guess he thinks he's been missing out for years. For me, it’s just a reminder of what I've lost since they died."

Joey put his mug of mulled wine down on the wall and looked worriedly at Kaiba. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." But the brunet instantly raised his hands in defence and placed his cup on the wall as well. "No need to apologise, puppy. That was a long time ago."

"Mhm. But I know what you mean. I feel the same way, even though my parents are still alive. Although I can really do without my dad very well, as you can imagine. But I miss Mum and Serenity. I haven't seen them since they left for the US. And every time Christmas gets closer, I miss them just a little bit more."

Unknowingly, they moved closer until their gloved hands touched. Heat rose in Joey as if all the warmth from Kaiba's hand was transferred to him through their gloves. For a moment, time seemed to stand still. He saw Kaiba open his mouth to say something back, but by then they heard Mokuba shouting in the distance, "Hey, there you are, come on, let's go!"

They quickly loosened their touch and immediately Joey felt something was missing. What was Kaiba doing to him? Why did he suddenly want nothing more than to be near him? He was confused and happy at the same time. He really needed a break from this emotional chaos.

They dropped off the empty mulled wine cups at the next stall, and when they rejoined the group, Yugi asked, "Hey, Joey, you got a minute?"

"Sure, what's up?" 

They distanced themselves a bit from the group while Kaiba headed over to Mokuba and started walking with him arm in arm. He remembered what Kaiba had just told him, that he was somehow celebrating Christmas for Mokuba anyway, though maybe not in the grandeur that his little brother would want but he swallowed his pride because he knew it was important to Mokuba. That made his heart beat a little faster - Mokuba was so lucky to have a brother like him.

"Joey?"

"Ah, yes, sorry, got distracted for a moment," the blond grinned.

"I actually just wanted to know how you were doing? I feel like we haven't really talked at all lately."

"That's true, and I'm sorry I've been distant. I just needed a bit of time to sort myself out. It's all just been a bit... unfamiliar, ya know?"

"I get that. But are you okay right now?"

Joey had to think about that for a moment. "To be honest, I'm actually doing pretty well right now. I'm having a lotta fun here today, it kinda feels like normality. And I know y’all think it's kinda weird that I'm staying with Kaiba, but it's helping me get some distance from my dad. That wasn't a good environment for me anymore, and I'm glad not to be there."

Joey could see that Yugi had a million questions burning on his mind about living with his dad. But he knew from experience that he wouldn't get that much out of Joey, the blond had to voluntarily speak up about that, otherwise, it wasn’t worth the try. He had tried so many times, and still never got a proper answer, because Joey was always evasive - or just flat-out lied. Joey didn’t feel great about that tactic either, and someday he would find the strength to open up to him about it. Maybe when a little more time had passed, maybe he would actually be able to do it. 

So Yugi skipped the questions where he knew he wouldn't get an answer anyway - or only an inadequate one - and asked instead, "And how are things with Kaiba? Honestly, Joey, the way he looks at you - like he's gonna kill anyone who gets too close to you or lays a finger on you."

"Really? I... I didn't notice that." He looked at Kaiba, who was still walking a few steps ahead of them with Mokuba. Was Kaiba actually trying to protect him? But from what? And why? Suddenly, he was imprisoned by the emotional turmoil again, and he felt somehow cold and hot at the same time.

"It's nothing bad, Joey. It's just weird when you guys used to get all pissed off at each other."

"True, and hey, for what it’s worth, we still do that sometimes." The two friends burst out laughing, and at that moment Kaiba turned to face them. And by the look on his face, Joey could see it now, too. He couldn't help but beam happily, while Kaiba's gaze, as always, remained impenetrable and indefinable.

Joey and Yugi slowly walked back to the group. "Hey, let's still do the can throwing!" Mokuba shouted happily, and everyone joined in. Joey was standing a little behind them watching them, not having much interest in this activity himself. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Kaiba going to the stall next to them where you could try archery. He watched his every move: How he first gently stroked the bow and then picked up an arrow and put it in the bow. His gaze was focused forward as he pulled the arrow back in the bow and released it with controlled hand movements. And if he could see it correctly from here, he had hit the bull's eye.

That had piqued his curiosity, and he walked over to Kaiba to see exactly how he did it. The rest of his friends were distracted throwing cans anyway and paid him no further attention. Kaiba did register him, but immediately put the next arrow in the bow and repeated the procedure. A member of the staff had removed the first arrow from the target, then Kaiba started again - and boom, right in the middle again, although the target was several metres away and quite small for Joey's liking.

"Amazing..." Joey murmured to himself admiringly as he looked at the arrow on the target. Then Kaiba turned to him and held out the bow.

"You wanna try it?"

Joey lowered his head in embarrassment. "I'd rather not, I don't think I can keep up." When he looked up again, Kaiba was standing close to him. "I'll help you. Come."

So Joey summoned up all his courage and walked towards the stall. He looked sceptically at the bow and arrow. He had just watched Kaiba quite closely, but he still had no idea what he actually had to do. He took the bow in his hand and eyed it suspiciously. Kaiba now stood behind him and reached past him for the arrow. He positioned the bow correctly in Joey's hands and inserted the arrow into the bow for him. Joey's back touched Kaiba and his whole body was covered in goosebumps. He could feel the brunet’s warm breath on the back of his neck.

When everything was obviously positioned in the right way, Kaiba reached around Joey so that he could draw the bow together with him. "Go..." Kaiba murmured, and at the same time they released the arrow from the bow - and it hit the exact centre of the target, just as Kaiba's first two attempts as well. His arms were still around Joey's body and he could hear him breathing close to his ear.

"That's how you do it, my puppy," Kaiba whispered in his ear, he couldn't have been more than a few inches away, his voice sounding unusually raspy. "Wow, that... that was..." Joey was at a loss for words. He was intoxicated by the emotions, high on the endorphins that flooded his entire body. He never wanted this moment to end, and he couldn't tell how long they stood there like that. Was it seconds, minutes, hours? He turned to look at Kaiba now. His eye colour kept changing, it was like a restless sea, and he could clearly make out his accelerated breathing. Joey felt his cheeks getting hot and he hoped they would cool down again under Kaiba's cool eyes, but the plan didn't work at all, if anything they got even warmer under his stormy, almost demanding gaze.

At some point, Joey looked back at the group and saw Mokuba watching them. Immediately, Joey put a little distance between himself and Kaiba, but instantly missed the closeness and warmth his body radiated. He was still in a trance when the group joined them.

"Wow, Kaiba, did you put that arrow that’s stuck in the target right in the middle?" asked Téa appreciatively, but Kaiba only looked at Joey, with a very slight smirk on his lips that only someone standing as close to him as Joey could see, and replied, "No, that was Wheeler." That was a flat-out lie, of course, and he knew it and let Joey take all the credit anyway, which he promptly received from all his friends. But Joey couldn't respond at all. How much Kaiba had changed since they lived together. There was still that quiet voice in the back of his mind telling him that Kaiba wasn't doing this entirely altruistically because they had this deal after all, but another, much louder voice whispered in his ear that maybe this cold-hearted man wasn’t as frosty anymore. Maybe all that was left of the big chunk of ice behind his chest was a little ice floe. 

By now, the sun was sinking inexorably on the horizon and it was about time to head for the exit. But Joey still had something to do, so he said to his friends, "Hey, why don't y’all go on to the exit, I'll be right back. I'll meet ya there!" Kaiba was about to make moves to stay with him, but very slightly Joey shook his head so that only Kaiba could notice, and formed a 'trust me' with his lips. Kaiba nodded barely noticeably and followed the 'geek squad’, as he always called them, and his little brother to the exit.

When they were out of sight, Joey went to a stall with lots of bric-a-brac, which they had walked past earlier. He didn't know if they would get each other something for Christmas, Kaiba had made it clear to him today that he didn't attach much importance to the holidays after all. And yet, he wanted to give him something, even if it was only symbolic. Well, what could you give someone who either already had everything or more than enough money to buy everything he wanted himself?

So he bought a little something and hoped it would please the brunet. He also got something for Mokuba, and with the small bag in his hand, he too set off towards the exit.

As soon as he arrived at the gate, he first met Kaiba's pair of eyes, which were already waiting for him impatiently. With his eyes Joey wanted to tell him, 'I really wasn't gone that long, calm down', and Kaiba seemed to understand. The group said goodbye to each other and Kaiba called the limousine, into which he, Joey and Mokuba got one after the other. Mokuba sat opposite Kaiba again and Joey next to Kaiba.

"What a terrific day!" Mokuba cheered immediately as soon as the car had started moving. "True, it was incredible! And all the rides? Wow, the roller coaster right at the beginning killed me!" The two boys laughed heartily and talked for a few more minutes about everything they had liked best. All the while, Joey would keep quiet about what had really made his heart beat faster that day.

"How did you like it, Seto?" Mokuba asked, addressing his brother.

The latter put on that indefinable look again. "It was okay," he replied more or less monotonously. Back to the roots, huh?

Joey beamed at Kaiba. "Well, I think it really was an amazing day. Pretty perfect if you ask me."

Kaiba looked him in the eye again, and despite all his defensive body language, his arms folded in front of his chest, Joey could see a completely different language in his eyes. He wanted to make it clear to Kaiba with what he said how much he had enjoyed the time alone with him in particular, and hoped the brunet would understand. He would do anything to see him smile, if only for a moment. And indeed - he almost didn't notice if he wasn't looking at him so closely, but for a split second, the corners of Kaiba's mouth pulled up a tiny bit. It was only a minimal twitch, but he could see that the ice in his eyes was melting a little. At that moment, Joey realised that it had been a long time since he had been as happy as he was when he noticed Kaiba’s heart made of ice melting.


	7. Rescue me... from too many heartbeats

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> The Best Side of Life - Sarah Connor
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/2opHCc3qNPHIaHPKQmOYIl?si=s311-MI2QFep-TAMQf07LQ   
> YoutTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARgj8w91SrY 
> 
> Your loving arms, your tender smile  
> We just forget the world around us  
> For a little while  
> There's only you and me tonight  
> I can feel the joy and happiness inside  
> 'Cause you're with me
> 
> ~~~~

The 24th of December dawned, ushering in the Christmas holidays at the Kaibas‘ mansion. Instead of breakfast or lunch, there was a Christmas brunch, but not until eleven o’clock, so Kaiba’s breakfast consisted only of coffee until he ate solid food for the first time at the brunch. This was a tradition with the Kaibas, just like their dinner on Christmas Eve. Immediately after brunch, Kaiba had retired to his home office and was more or less in a bad mood. He couldn’t understand what was so special about these three Christmas days, which, at least if you weren’t religious, were only about consumption. Well, there was one advantage: his company was making record profits again this year at Christmas time, because they had just released a brand new virtual reality game two months earlier, which the kids were now desperate to have. But that wouldn’t outweigh the fact that Mokuba had been dancing and singing all over the mansion for weeks, warbling one Christmas song after another. Kaiba had to massage his temples for a moment. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to get the headache of his life.

And then there was the matter of the puppy. Barely a fortnight ago, they had been so close, there at the Christmas market, if only for a few, but all the more extraordinary moments. Since then, he felt a longing inside himself he couldn’t quite define because he didn’t know what it was for. But he noticed it especially after that day at the Christmas market, and even if he couldn’t understand all the hustle and bustle, he was still grateful for that day. He had learned a little more about Wheeler and was once again amazed at how openly they could talk to each other by now. Even if he had to admit that he rather considered himself a man of few words than speaking straightforwardly what’s on his mind. But communication didn’t always have to happen with words. When Wheeler told him in the limousine on the way back how much fun he had had that day, he had this look on his face and it was quite clear what he was trying to tell him. He had to restrain himself from mirroring his insanely contagious smile, but a Seto Kaiba doesn’t just smile like that. Afterwards, someone would interpret it as weakness, so he really had to be careful.

That was also the last time he had seen him laugh. Wheeler withdrew shortly after their trip to the Christmas market and seemed somehow absent and sad. Kaiba couldn’t help but keep wondering if it had something to do with what he had told him at the Christmas market, namely his very own reasons for not celebrating the holidays as heartily as Mokuba, for example, liked to. And even if their reasons differed a little - at the core, they were quite similar, as all of them were about family and the memory of what they no longer had.

He was reluctant to admit it to himself, even a little annoyed by it and would certainly never say it out loud, but - he wanted to see the blond smile again. It was liberating when he had seen him so happy. Since that day, golden-brown eyes took over his thoughts more and more, and he cursed himself for it, but the more he fought against it, the more persistent those thoughts became. So eventually he gave up - it was all in his head, after all, and as long as no one invented a device - and he fervently hoped it would stay that way for a very long time - that could detect his thoughts, he would be safe. What was going on in his head, however, had to be kept under wraps at all costs.

He looked at the clock, it was just after 3 pm. His surprise for the puppy should be arriving soon. It hadn’t been easy to organise, especially without letting him in on it, but in the end, he had been successful - what else. He rose from his leather office chair and went in search of Wheeler. It didn’t take him that long, for he could hear Mokuba yelling from afar throughout the house.

„Joey, come on, the garland! No, a little higher! Oh, how beautiful it all looks already!“

Before he entered the great hall, he suppressed a quiet laugh. Even if he couldn’t do much with Christmas, Mokuba could, and when seeing him so happy, so was he. Funny thing though, he actually felt pretty similar about Wheeler, now that he thought about it. What was happening to him here, what was that puppy doing to him?

He quietly entered the great hall they had chosen every year as the place for the tree. It was also where they always had their traditional dinner on Christmas Eve, usually with just Seto and Mokuba, but this year would be quite different. Mokuba was frantically walking back and forth, carrying little colourful balls to the tree, strings of lights or other decorations that Wheeler was obviously attaching to it. Kaiba analysed the blond and could once again see how absent-minded he appeared to be. He tried hard to hide it, and even seemed to succeed in front of Mokuba, but if you looked closely, you could see that his movements came off as mechanical, not as natural and exuberant as he was used to. He could only hope that he could bring the sparkle and joy back into his eyes with what he was about to do. At that moment his mobile vibrated and he skimmed the message. It was time.

He walked up to Wheeler, who was still filling the tree, about a metre taller than him, with colourful baubles in automated movements. „Hey,“ Kaiba started the conversation to get his attention. They hadn’t talked much in the past two weeks, partly because the blond had become so withdrawn. So Kaiba approached him carefully now. The last thing he wanted was to see him even sadder than he obviously already was.

The puppy looked up, smiled at him, but Kaiba could see it wasn’t real because it didn’t reach his eyes. „Hey, what’s up?“ the smaller one replied. „Do you have a second? I’d like to show you something,“ Kaiba explained and could immediately see the astonishment on Wheeler’s face. He was glad to be able to put at least a little life back into his features.

„Hey, Mokuba?“ the blond called out to the younger Kaiba brother. „Can you go on here by yourself for a minute?“ Mokuba, still fully in the Christmas spirit, gave him a friendly nod. Kaiba hadn’t entirely let Mokuba in on his endeavours because he didn’t want him to accidentally blab, but he had already announced to him that he needed to ‚borrow‘ Joey for a while.

The blond stepped away from the Christmas tree and followed Kaiba. They took the stairs down and went out through the big front door and straight to the street, where they came to a halt.

„What are we doing here, Kaiba?“ It was snowing gently, and according to the weather report, the snowfall was expected to increase in the late afternoon and evening. A few snowflakes landed on Wheeler’s cheek and instantly began to melt and run down his cheeks. Inwardly, he cursed himself for the thought, but Kaiba wanted to reach out and wipe the water droplets from his cheek. A pleasant shiver ran down his spine and he really had to wrestle with his composure when he thought of it. Instead of giving in to this desire, he explained, „You’ll see in a second, puppy, can’t be long now.“

„Good, because I’m cold as fuck!“

They stood there for maybe two or three more minutes as his limo showed up. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Wheeler frowning. He still hadn’t smelled a rat, and Kaiba braced himself inwardly for what was about to follow.

A girl with long, light brown hair got out of the car first, followed by a middle-aged woman. There was no mistaking that it was Wheeler’s mum - she had the same eyes, shining as brightly as if she were the sun itself, and the same blonde hair, even if hers was curly. He looked over at the puppy, whose expression now changed from astonishment to one of shock.

„Serenity? Mum? What...“ For a split second, everyone stopped, even his sister and his mum stayed by the car for the moment. Kaiba saw Wheeler’s eyes slowly fill with tears. Then, all of a sudden, he seemed to be realising what was happening here, and as the blond ran towards Serenity and his mum, he cried out with happiness, „Oh my God! Serenity! Mum! Oh my God!“ Kaiba stayed where he was, watching the family reunion from the distance. They were in each other’s arms, crying, and he could see his puppy shaking a little and struggling with his composure. Admittedly, that scene touched him, too. And it made him happy because it made Joey happy, and he hoped longingly to finally bring back the sparkle into his eyes again.

He wanted to give the family some time alone, his job was done. He turned around and walked back into the house, back into his home office, deeply satisfied. Even though work was really out of the question now, he still needed a moment’s rest to sort out his thoughts and especially his feelings.

~~~~

Joey was still in shock. They were here. They were really here. He couldn’t believe what Kaiba had done for him. When he turned to check on him, he was gone, and he made a firm resolution to talk to him. At least if he found his voice back at some point, at the moment he was more than speechless.

The family was still in each other’s arms, just letting the tears of joy run their course. Joey had so many questions, and yet he was simply enjoying this moment. Could anyone feel more happiness than at this moment? But in addition to the many endorphins that triggered the highest feeling of happiness in him, there was another sensation mixed in - boundless gratitude. The last two weeks had been hard for him because he knew he would not be with his family on Christmas Eve, and even though this was really nothing new, there was this heaviness inside him, this veil that seemed to darken everything. All of that dissolved into thin air the moment Serenity and his mum stepped out of the limo, and he felt like he could fly, like a balloon filled to the brim with helium that only knew the way up.

„We’re so happy to be here, Joey,“ his sister said, wiping tears from her eyes and beaming at him. His mother could only nod but smiled at him no less intensely.

„I am also so incredibly happy that you are here, too. I missed you so much, honestly. I still can’t really believe it yet. How did you get here in the first place?“

Now his mum found her voice back again and replied, „Kaiba called me - Although I don’t know how he got my phone number actually.“

At this Joey had to grin, for the first time in weeks. „That guy can find out everything about you if he wants to.“

„Yeah, I can imagine,“ his mum replied with a giggle. „Anyway, he invited us to come over. I was going to politely decline at first because we just don’t have the money to pay for the flight, let alone a hotel room. After all, that was the reason we just couldn’t do it for the last few years, even though it broke both our hearts.“ To punctuate her mum’s words, Serenity nodded vigorously.

„But he then told us that he would fly us in on his private jet and we could stay with him at the mansion, free of charge of course. We were overwhelmed, and honestly, I don’t think he would have even taken no for an answer. But that should be fine with me, it was finally the chance we had been waiting for for years. And now we’re here, and we’re so incredibly grateful.“ Her last words made her sob a little with happiness again.

„Mr Wheeler?“ Roland now appeared behind Joey. „Please excuse the interruption, but Mr Kaiba asked me to show your guests to their rooms. If you would please follow me?“

Joey nodded in his direction and helped the two with their luggage. „I’ll accompany you.“ „Okay, and then you’ll have to explain to us exactly what you’re doing here. I really tried to get that out of Kaiba, but he kept repeating that he wanted to leave it up to you to tell us about it. It all sounded pretty highfalutin, was almost creepy.“ That made Joey smirk. Yes, that was him, his dragon, to a T. Now he was starting to call him ‚his dragon‘ too! This promised to be a crazy day.

They were directed by Roland to a two-bedroom apartment on the second floor. It was otherwise pretty similar to Joey’s in terms of furnishings. He realised that there was nothing really personal in his apartment yet, so it was extremely similar to this one for that reason. He resolved to change that, maybe he would just buy a potted plant, that would at least be enough to start with and create a little atmosphere.

When they had provisionally stowed the suitcases, they sat down in the living room belonging to the apartment, Joey took a seat on the armchair, his mum and Serenity on the sofa opposite him. The blond was getting a little nervous - he had written them a farewell letter, too, of course, but hadn’t heard from them in the last few weeks, and didn’t get the impression now that they knew an awful lot. But maybe they did know? He really needed to find out what was going on, but before he could begin making a plan on how to do that, Serenity started asking questions in an impatient voice.

„Hey, Joey, tell us already, what are you doing here? I remember our conversations clearly, didn’t you always say Seto Kaiba was your worst enemy?“

„He is - or at least he was. I don’t know, I’m honestly not so sure myself. Um, have you guys maybe received a letter from me in the last few weeks?“

Serenity and her mum looked at each other questioningly. „Not me, you, Mum?“ She too shook her head. „No, sorry, was it an important letter? Wouldn’t be the first time that mail from Japan hasn’t arrived, I’m afraid. I still get mail from friends in Japan from time to time, or rather I should, but it’s like winning the lottery, that’s how high the chances are of a letter arriving.“

Joey was relieved. He would tell them about it, but not now, not today, not here. He was just glad they hadn’t found out about what he was planning to do. If he had executed his plan though, they wouldn’t have known, at least not right away and not the way he would have wanted them to find out. That gave him a pang, and he would make sure that next time... wait, next time? Would he actually do another attempt to put his plan into actions? Okay, too many thoughts all at once. He pushed the thought aside, he would have to deal with that too, but today was not the right time. He wanted to concentrate fully on the here and now. So he turned to his family again to give them an answer that was true but still left out large parts of the story.

„It’s all right, not that important. So, why am I here? Let’s put it this way, Dad and I were fighting again - that won’t come as a surprise to ya. Kaiba picked me up and gave me the opportunity to stay here for a while. Well, and here I am.“ Serenity knew he came into conflict with their dad every now and then, though he had never spoken of violence, only arguments. His mum didn’t know how far it went either, and he desperately wanted it to stay that way. His mum feeling bad about leaving him with their dad was the last thing he wanted because she wasn’t to blame for any of this at all. But he was fully aware that if she knew the whole story, she would feel enormously guilty.

Serenity smiled at him briefly but then went to look sceptical again. „But why would he do that? What reason would he have to offer you that if you can’t stand each other?“

Heavens, he had hoped not to be cross-examined now. He had to think of something, and fast.

„Well, ya know... I don’t know, my friends play quite a major role in that, too. They perceived that I had to go away for a while and more or less put a gun to his head. They threatened to give him bad press if he didn’t help me or something. So he didn’t really have a choice, and neither did I - once a Kaiba makes a decision on something, he makes short work of it and doesn’t take any argument.“ They dissolved into laughter, and that took the tension out of the situation again. He was very happy about it because he had only slightly adjusted the story and hadn’t lied much, but hadn’t revealed everything either. In fact, Kaiba was the only one who knew the full story at the moment because he had told him about it on their day by the sea. Even his friends only knew about it superficially or had vague guesses. And for the moment he was very pleased with how things were, even if it was still very surprising and confusing in equal measure to him that the dragon, of all people, was the only one knowing the whole story.

There were no further questions about why he was now staying with his nemesis, of all people, and Joey couldn’t be happier about the fact they’d leave it there. They talked for quite a while about their journey and what had been going on with them for the last few weeks.

After some time Joey stood up. „Hey, can I leave ya alone for a while? Why don’t ya take your time to settle in? There’s a dinner coming up, and I’m sure Kaiba has planned you in. He really does plan everything down to the last detail, so expect someone to come and pick you up.“

„All right, Joey, we’ll see you later at dinner. We’re really looking forward to it,“ his mum declared with a beaming smile. With these words, Joey left the apartment and headed for his own. He knew there was time planned for exchanging Christmas gifts later this evening - Mokuba had vehemently insisted on that - but he definitely had to talk to Kaiba before dinner. He still had absolutely no idea what he was supposed to say, but he had to thank him, and maybe his small, if actually insignificant, gift would help him in the situation. He was aware that he wouldn’t have much time until dinner if he wanted to talk to Kaiba beforehand, so he quickly got changed already. He wore a white shirt, black jeans and his black sneakers, and hoped that would be enough for the occasion. Then he grabbed the small gift from the bag he had already had wrapped at the Christmas market and set off again. He had a hunch where he might find Kaiba.

Taking another deep breath, Joey went to Kaiba’s office door, knocked and opened it carefully. It was already dark outside and the only light shining from the room was that of a desk lamp. The brunet looked up briefly with a sullen expression until he realised it was Joey who entered, and immediately his features softened again.

„Hey, come in,“ Kaiba said, and Joey stepped into the room, awkwardly feeling. He had never been here before. The room was lined on the sides with bookshelves, all filled to the brim. It almost looked like a library. As far as he could tell in the dim glow of the desk lamp, the room was clad in dark wood and had an almost stately feel to it. Suited his dragon, he had to admit.

He closed the door behind him and didn’t really know how to begin. He stepped from one foot to the other and Kaiba watched him intently. „Are your sister and mum satisfied with their apartment?“ he then asked.

„Oh, yeah, definitely, you assigned a great apartment to them, thank you.“

The blond looked at the gift in his hands. Maybe he’d just start with that, possibly it would help him find the right words somehow. At least it would give him a little break to think.

„Here, this is for you,“ Joey said, stepping up to the desk and handing the small package to Kaiba. He took it from him and for a brief second their fingers touched, giving Joey electrifying goosebumps. He watched Kaiba closely as he unwrapped the small gift - a keychain with a small plush cuddly toy of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

„You bought this at the Christmas market, didn’t you?“ Kaiba turned the little dragon in his hand every which way to look at it closely. Joey nodded. „Exactly. I know it’s not much, but you either have everything already or you can afford it yourself. But when I saw it, I knew it should be yours.“

Kaiba’s long fingers were still examining the little cuddly toy in his hand attentively. Had Joey ever noticed how elegant Kaiba’s fingers were? Now, under the light of the desk lamp, it was at least quite obvious.

„Thank you, puppy,“ the taller one began. „I really... I like it a lot. Really, just...“ Joey was frightened for a second. Did he already have a whole truckload of it at home? Was it too small for him? Was it not perfect enough?

Kaiba seemed to be able to see his doubt in his eyes as he looked up and said, „It’s just, I don’t have a present for you at all.“ Joey interrupted him by propping himself up on the desk and leaning in his direction. And suddenly the words gushed out of him like a waterfall.

„You don’t have a present for me? Seriously, Kaiba? That’s absolute rubbish. You gave me the best gift I’ve ever received in my entire life today. You gave me my family and I will never be able to thank you enough for that. I know the little dragon there isn’t of much value, at least not financially, and I bought it before I even knew you were going to surprise me like this. I have no idea how I’ll ever be able to repay you. God, Kaiba, do you know what you’ve done for me? And how much that means to me? And how happy you’ve made me? I... I don’t know... this is so... so...“ Tears rolled off his cheeks in rivulets and his whole body shook. He didn’t know if he would be able to stay on his feet much longer. His body was so full of gratitude for this man who was actually his worst enemy and yet had given him the most special gift of his life. He had the feeling that his heart was about to burst into a thousand pieces.

Only seconds later, Kaiba stood in front of him and took him in his arms. A real hug, no hesitation, no waiting, just Joey against Kaiba’s chest. He could feel the brunet breathing heavily, his heart beating faster. Joey wrapped his arms around Kaiba’s waist, intensifying the hug a little more as a result, but he still couldn’t hold back the tears. „Shhh, my puppy, it’s all right,“ Joey heard Kaiba, who was a little more than half a head taller than himself, whisper in his ear. He stroked his hair gently and Joey calmed down a bit at the mild touch.

Kaiba’s words were spoken in a low soft voice, barely audible if you weren’t as close as Joey was, and it created an intimacy between them that, as he now realised, he had sorely missed for the last two weeks. „No need to thank me. I’ve noticed that something was wrong recently, and you had told me what it was at the Christmas market, after all. It wasn’t much trouble for me to do it, really. I... I just...“

Joey had to look at him, had to look him straight in the eye. He knew Kaiba wasn’t one to be easy with words, but his eyes would always tell him what he was thinking. And in the shallow light of the lamp, he could look at them closely, a shade brighter than usual. Joey was amazed that Kaiba was still talking, and was even more grateful for this situation because the taller one was trying so hard to swallow his own pride and just let the words out.

„I just want you to be happy, my puppy.“ Joey learned from Kaiba’s eyes that he had a lot more to say, but all this was already so much more than he could ever have hoped for.

„I just wish I could give you the same gift. Bring you back your parents, give you your family, just as you gave me mine today.“

Kaiba leaned his forehead against Joey’s as he said a sentence that let Joey’s heart finally burst into millions upon millions of small pieces. „Along with Mokuba, you have become the family to me that I thought I had lost for so long.“

Their noses touched and Joey could feel Kaiba’s accelerated breathing on his cheek. He didn’t know how much more happiness he would be able to endure, but he was hooked, addicted to this surge of endorphins coursing through his body. They opened their eyes, and golden brown mingled with icy blue. Little by little, almost in slow motion, Joey approached Kaiba’s lips. With two more inches between them, Joey could already feel Kaiba’s warm breath on his lips...

„Seeeeeeetooooo! Dinner is... oh!“ Suddenly Mokuba stood in the middle of the office and gazed at the two men still standing very close to each other. Immediately, they parted and Mokuba’s face turned bright red. He turned his head away and before pulling away again, he said, „Sorry, didn’t mean to disturb. Dinner’s ready, just come down when you’re ready, okay?“ And with that, he was gone as quickly as he had appeared.

Joey’s hands were shaking and he was still breathing rapidly. Adrenaline now mixed with the endorphins and he couldn’t believe what they had almost done. He looked at Kaiba and could see that he felt the same way. Still, the brunet managed to regain his composure first. He had to clear his throat once, then he said, „I have to go back to my apartment for a minute, I think I need a new shirt.“

Joey eyed him sheepishly before uttering a meek ‚sorry‘.

Kaiba shook his head, signifying to him that all was well. „I’ll see you at dinner in a bit then, puppy?“

Joey, still not having regained the control of his voice - and senses - could do not more but nod. Kaiba approached him again briefly, looked deep into his eyes and stroked his cheek. It was only a very fleeting moment, and yet, even when Kaiba had already been out the door for two minutes, the skin in his face still burned from his touch.

When he had collected himself to some extent, he made his way into the great hall. His shirt seemed fine, so he didn’t need to go change his yet. Everyone else was already there, except Kaiba. When Mokuba saw him, he immediately came over. „Hey, Joey, sorry about just now. I didn’t mean to...“ With that, the teen lowered his head and once again blushed hard.

„Everything’s okay, Mokuba. It... it was nothing. No need to read anything into it. Come on, let’s take a seat.“

Joey sat down at the big table, opposite him his sister and his mum, Mokuba sat two seats to his left. The table was huge, there would probably be room for 20 people here, so there were still masses of empty seats in addition to all the people present so far. Joey could see a piano in one corner of the room with a pianist discreetly playing Christmas carols. It sounded so beautiful, and as Joey remembered all the nice things that had already happened today, his eyes got moist again. But he had to pull himself together. He didn’t want to spend this evening sobbingly, he just wanted to enjoy it. Mokuba had also managed to decorate the rest of the tree, and with all the different colours, baubles, figurines and lights, it filled the room with so much positive Christmas spirit that Joey couldn’t help but be infected by it. And now that he had his family here, it was just so easy to maintain his good mood.

At that moment, the door opened and Kaiba entered the room. It was obvious he was scanning the room for something, and when his icy blue eyes met Joey’s golden brown ones, he seemed to have found what he was looking for. For a second, time stopped for Joey. Kaiba had put on a dark blue shirt, as blue as his eyes. His hair hung a little wildly in his face as if he had hurried to get here, and he brushed it out of his forehead a little. Joey had to swallow at the sight of Kaiba. He looked stunningly beautiful, and immediately he missed the touch they had shared earlier.

Then the clock seemed to keep turning again, and as Kaiba took a seat between Mokuba and him, he knew that this would probably be the most beautiful day of his life so far.

~~~~

Kaiba gave up. He knew he couldn’t help it. Something was magically drawing him to Wheeler, and even if he didn’t know what it was - he had tried to ignore it or avoid it for a long time, but it was futile. He was simply magnetically drawn to him. There was nothing he wanted more now than to be near his puppy.

He was still breathless from what had just happened in his home office. Would he ever be able to enter that room again without having to think about it? His heartbeat quickened every time he thought of Wheeler’s touch. He couldn’t even put his feelings into words. They had formed a bond that he had never had with anyone before. Of course, he had a close relationship with Mokuba, too, but this was different. It was powerful and eerie and mystical and... beautiful. He had never felt so at ease as he did today, and how ironic it was that it happened at Christmas.

When Wheeler told him he would like to give him the same gift, to bring him back his family, the scales fell from his eyes. How unbelievable and unreal it felt at the same time when he understood that Joey was actually part of his family, even though they hadn’t been living together that long. But the last two months had changed everything. The blond took over his mind to a large extent, and yes, he was often annoyed by that, but there was nothing he could do about it. It was just the way it was.

At that moment his thoughts were interrupted as the first course was dished up. Wheeler took the spoon and began to eat the soup, and Kaiba could see how much he was enjoying it. And there it was again, that endless feeling of happiness. How much of it could a person feel in such a short amount of time, how much could he endure without bursting with happiness?

„How long are you actually planning to stay?“ asked Wheeler, addressing his family. His mum answered thoughtfully, „Well, we don’t know how long we can stay at all. We’d like to stay a few days, but then we’d have to look for cheap accommodation and somehow get a cheap return ticket.“

Kaiba cleared his throat. „Of course you can stay as long as you like. The guest apartment you’re staying in will not be needed anytime soon and will be at your disposal indefinitely. And of course, I will also make my private jet available for your return flight. Just let me know at short notice when you plan to fly and I’ll arrange everything.“

It was breathtaking how much Wheeler and his mum looked alike. Her eyes moistened slightly and she didn’t have to say anything, you could see her gratitude even without her saying a single word. „That’s incredibly generous, Kaiba, thank you so much. I don’t even know how we can make it up to you.“ Hm, even the choice of words resembled his puppy. Fascinating.

„There’s absolutely no need for that, either. You’re Joey’s guests, and therefore mine, so it really goes without saying.“ It was only afterwards that he realised he’d just used Wheeler’s first name for the first time, at least outside his own mind, and could hear the blond inhale sharply as it happened. The next moment, he felt Joey’s hand on his thigh and could feel his touch through the fabric of his pants. For just a second, they looked deep into each other’s eyes, and he recognised that same gratitude. Those golden brown eyes that had haunted him so many times before in his dreams had now finally returned to their original sparkle. With his lips Joey formed a ‚thank you‘, then took his hand away again and immediately Kaiba missed the warm feeling on his leg. Nevertheless, he turned his attention back to his soup.

„All right, then we’d like to stay until New Year’s if that’s okay with you, Joey?“ The blond was all smiles as he said, „Of course! As long as you want, Mum, as long as you want.“

After five courses and with very full stomachs, the dinner ended. The mood was cheerful and everyone chatted with each other, even though Kaiba held back for the rest of the evening, if only because he didn’t know what meaningful contribution he could have made. Wheeler was simply different - he could engage people in conversation without difficulty, involve others and introduce new topics without any problems. That’s what he admired about him, that he managed to communicate so openly and unabashedly without worrying too much about the choice of words. With him it was just different - he was in the public eye and often had to think very carefully about how he said what in order not to end up in the gossip columns of the yellow press. Although he would still pop up there every now and then, which was indeed annoying but unfortunately unavoidable.

Now it was time to exchange presents, which would take place in the large communal living room. Mokuba ran off first, the little one, as usual, couldn’t wait. Joey walked out of the room next to his mum, but not without turning to him once again and giving him a grateful smile. Kaiba wasn’t capable of much in the larger company, but he still tried to send back a gentle smile, if only very slightly hinted at, and he had a feeling Joey understood because his smirk widened a little more. Then he too left the room and Serenity and he were the last to leave.

„Hey, Kaiba,“ she addressed him directly. She stopped him before they could leave the room. „I’m incredibly grateful to you for what you did for my brother. He was trying to explain to us earlier why he was here in the first place, and honestly, I may not have seen him for a very long time, but I know my brother. I know he didn’t tell us the whole truth. He said something about a letter that we never received, and it seems to have significance. I don’t know what it says, and I don’t know what part he really left out, but I know he feels comfortable here. So, all I’m saying is, take good care of him, will you? I love him and I want him to be okay. I haven’t seen him in person for many years now, of course, but I can hardly imagine him ever being as happy as he is today, except maybe when we were kids. We’ve been in touch a lot over the years, and he’s always had something to complain about, but today... today he’s just like the carefree boy he was back then. And I’m glad that’s the case.“ And with that, she too disappeared from the room. Kaiba needed a moment to process that. So he hadn’t told them the whole story, Kaiba had been very discreet about that too. He didn’t know if Wheeler had even informed them about his... plan. And obviously, he had tried, but the letter didn’t arrive. Not unusual in international mail, and something in him was relieved about that, and he couldn’t help but think that his puppy felt the same way about it.

Now he too made his way to the living room. Once there, the mood was exuberant - Wheeler was sitting on the fluffy white carpet on the floor and leaning against the sofa, opposite him was Mokuba, who was also sitting on the floor. Serenity and her mum were each sitting on an armchair. The fireplace was burning in the corner and the floor-to-ceiling windows gave a glimpse of the mansion’s park, which was by now completely covered in snow. He could see that thick flakes were still falling from the sky.

„Seto, there you are finally!“, Mokuba brought him out of his thoughts. „Come on, let’s get started!“

He thought for a moment, then sat down on the sofa Joey was sitting in front of. They were very close, Joey’s head was only a few inches from his leg, and Kaiba knew that was exactly where he belonged.

Then the gift-giving began. Mokuba gave Joey a Christmas jumper in red, with reindeer on it, absolute kitsch. But Joey seemed to like it, he even put it on immediately and then looked up at him. Did he care what he thought about it? With a slight smirk that only someone sitting as close as Joey did at that moment could see, he met his demanding gaze and the blond seemed satisfied.

Mokuba also received a small cuddly toy keychain from Joey, but with a figure of Santa Clause, and yet Kaiba couldn’t help thinking of the little dragon Joey had given him, and his heart stopped for a moment. Would he be able to get a grip on his emotions again today?

Serenity and Joey’s mum had also brought a present for him, a box of sweets from the USA. „Wow, Mum, Serenity, that’s super cool, thank you so much! I probably won’t even be able to eat all this.“ His laughter was truly infectious, and again Kaiba had to remind himself to be disciplined so as not to join in. Then he heard the blond speak up again. „Since I didn’t know you were coming,“ he began, resting his head ever so slightly against Kaiba’s legs, „I wasn’t able to buy you a present. But let’s just go somewhere in the next few days, take a trip or something, my treat!“

„Sounds great, Joey, we’ll do that,“ Serenity replied visibly excited. Serenity and her mum also exchanged smaller gifts before it was Kaiba’s turn to give Mokuba his. It was a QR code that led him to an app Kaiba had developed, and Mokuba would be the first to see it. It was a brand new game, and his little brother was beyond excited. „Thanks, Seto, that’s really cool! I’m going to try it out first thing tomorrow! Here, this is your present.“

He held out an envelope to him, and when he took it and then opened it, he found two tickets to a piano concert inside. Mokuba knew that Kaiba was very fond of classical music, and indeed he was pleased with the gift. And he already knew exactly who he really wanted to accompany him. „Thank you, Mokuba,“ he said, and afterwards his little brother immediately clapped his hands. „Well, guys, as all the presents are distributed now, I’d say it’s time for some games!“ His puppy at his feet jumped up and down excitedly, obviously very happy to face a little competition again, even if only in trivial board games.

Kaiba preferred to take the position of an observer. They drank hot tea, Mokuba had warm cocoa and Joey’s mum even got real mulled wine. After just a few rounds, he could see Joey flying out of the game in a high arc.

„Damn,“ he cursed with a laugh, „I guess I failed. Serenity, finish them off!“ Judging by the expression on his sister’s face, they shared their ambition to win. Joey set his cup of tea down beside him and watched the game for a while. Then, when the others were no longer paying attention to him, he rose and went to one of the large, floor-to-ceiling windows and looked outside. Soon afterwards, he took a few more steps to the left so that he was obscured by a few tall plants that Mokuba had insisted on buying because Kaiba had refused to get a second Christmas tree. The fact that he allowed a single Christmas tree to stand in his house every year bordered on a miracle, but if Mokuba really wanted a few more plants in the house, it didn’t matter to him as long as they weren’t more Christmas trees.

He wondered what his puppy was thinking about.

A few minutes after Joey, Kaiba also got up and stood next to him at the window, also covered behind the plants so no one could see them - and he enjoyed it because it felt like it was just the two of them in that big room. „Is everything all right?“ he asked him gently. Joey looked up and couldn’t hide his contentment. „Absolutely. I can hardly think of a day in my life that was nearly as perfect as this one. Thank you Kaiba, really, I can’t tell you how grateful I am at all. But I’m going to try. Every day. To hopefully someday give you a day as perfect as today.“ A quick glance behind showed him that they were unobserved and indeed well hidden too, thanks to Mokuba who had obviously set up half a jungle here. Could he dare? He would take the risk. So he smiled and could see the amazement on Joey’s face, which enhanced his smile even a little more.

„This day was perfect for me, too. And that at Christmas!“ They both laughed softly, anxious for no one to notice them. „Hey,“ Kaiba put in again, „Mokuba gave me two tickets for a piano concert in January. Would you like to come along?“

„Doesn’t Mokuba wanna go with you? After all, he did give you the tickets.“

Kaiba shook his head. „No, Mokuba isn’t really into classical music.“

„Okay, I’d be happy to go with you, but I don’t know anything about classical music. So if that bothers you...“

„Absolutely not. I’d really like you to come. Really.“

Joey smiled at him. „Okay, let’s do it then.“ 

They looked into each other’s eyes as their bodies grew closer and closer. At some point, the little fingers of Joey’s right hand and Kaiba’s left hand touched, and they gently placed them around each other without taking their eyes off each other. Then the other fingers joined in until all their fingers had intertwined. Joey’s eyes were a single stream of gold, and even if he tried, he would not be able to take his gaze from them. Joey did that for him as he rested his head against Kaiba’s shoulder and also wedged their other, previously inactive hands together. Their breathing evened out and they interwove their hands a little tighter. Kaiba rested his head against Joey’s, whose hair tickled his nose. Remaining in this position, they looked out of the window together and watched the snowflakes still tirelessly trickling down to earth. And Kaiba knew, from that moment on, that he was lost. He didn’t know what it was he was feeling, or why, but he knew it was just right - and Joey’s looks, his touch and his quickened breathing told him he felt the same way. They were like yin and yang, fire and water, heaven and hell, and yet here they stood, closely connected, entwined in a bond against which they were powerless. And so the snow continued to trickle down onto the earth, which was turned completely upside down for the two of them today.


	8. Rescue me... from falling for you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> In My Blood - The Veronicas
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/0x4GHzCjY5MGQ960CHnVHz?si=aKiyWCPLRKC3HJ8qFXjuSw  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHzu69V8Z14 
> 
> And here’s another incredibly beautiful Puppyshipping AMV with this song - that’s how I came across this song in the first place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h_5edAqKAQ
> 
> When I look into your eyes  
> I wanna breathe you in to get me high  
> Crawl into this space inside your mind  
> Just leave me there, leave me there  
> Now you got me wanting more  
> I felt religion with you on the floor  
> The holy word that I’ve been waiting for  
> Baby stay with me, stay with me
> 
> ~~~~

With the Christmas holidays came the school holidays. Joey had been able to get leave from his part-time job at short notice when he explained to his boss the situation that his family, whom he had not seen for years, was visiting. He had been very happy at the prospect of just having a few days off and being able to spend them with his family - and yes, by now he counted Kaiba and Mokuba among them. It hadn’t been two full months yet, but he had found a home with them that he had never had like this before, except maybe when his parents were still together. 

The memory of yesterday’s Christmas Eve caught up with him, and his whole body tingled at the thought. They had been so close, and even though it was only a few hours ago, he couldn’t help longing for the next opportunity. But Kaiba was Kaiba - he always retreated a little and put on his poker face, especially when there were many other people around. What was he afraid of? He once said we were all the product of what we’d been through, and it probably had something to do with how he’d become through Gozaburo’s hands. Still - Joey hoped he would open up to him again, but he knew he would need to give the brunet his time.

Joey spent most of the next two Christmas holidays with Serenity and his mum. They did lots of things: sometimes they just walked around town or went for a walk in the park. Once he invited them to lunch at the cafe where he worked. He liked his work there. His colleagues were really nice, his boss was really cool and he just loved his job. He was good with the guests and always got a pretty good tip. Some regulars deliberately came whenever he was on shift and he enjoyed talking to them. He even felt he could contribute to the lives of others by serving them delicious drinks or food, or just by speaking with them. There was an elderly woman who was always there on Wednesday evenings. She had told him that her husband had passed away a few years ago and that she was now all alone. Her children and grandchildren all lived further away. So she had decided to visit one place every day that brought her joy, and the cafe where Joey worked was one of them. A deep satisfaction came over him whenever he saw how happy the woman was when she left the cafe in the evening.

Serenity, his mum and himself did everything their hearts desired: ice-skating, going to the cinema, visiting the sights of the city. At one point they were standing right in front of KaibaCorp and Joey knew Kaiba was in there somewhere now, probably tearing a strip off other employees. The thought made him laugh, and in fact, he would love to see him in action. In the last few weeks, he had come to know a completely different side of him, but he was still the CEO and never got tired of emphasising that as such he had to exude a certain authority.

On the morning of December 27th, the two Kaiba brothers, Joey, Serenity and their mum sat together at the breakfast table. The mood was as cheerful as the other days, but Joey could see that Kaiba kept glancing over at him, as if he wanted to say something but changed his mind at the last moment.

But then he seemed to summon up all his courage and asked, addressing all of them, „What are you planning to do today?“ Had he really needed so much courage for that? Joey was very surprised, after all, it was a totally normal question. But well, Kaiba wasn’t one for the ‚normal‘.

Joey answered first. „I dunno, are ya guys up for anything in particular?“ Serenity seemed to be thinking hard about it, while their mum said with a smile, „Anything’s fine with me, really, as long as my boy’s in it.“ She then rubbed her hand through his hair, which only elicited an annoyed ‚Mum!‘ from Joey.

Kaiba cleared his throat before speaking again. „How about a helicopter tour? I’d be free this afternoon and could fly you around a bit.“ At that moment, pretty much every pair of eyes in the room looked at him in amazement. Mokuba was apparently the first to find his voice back again. „That’s a really cool idea, bro! Can I come along, too?“

Kaiba looked at Joey - apparently leaving the decision up to him. „Sure thing, Mokuba!“ declared Joey, beaming. Then he turned to Kaiba, who, of course, had an impenetrable expression on his face again, but his eyes looked at him gently and Joey smiled softly in thanks. Then the brunet said, „All right, I suggest we’ll meet at the main entrance at 2 pm. Until then, I’ll have to excuse myself, I’m needed at my company again.“ With that sentence, he stood up, and Joey did the same as if it was an automatism.

„I’ll see you later then?“

Kaiba, who was already at the door, turned around once more, looked him in the eye for a moment and then nodded at him. To outsiders, nothing about these movements was out of the ordinary, simply a confirmation of what Joey had just asked him. But Kaiba’s eyes told Joey that there was a certain warmth in this nod, which was directed exclusively at Joey. A pleasant shiver came over his whole body and he was already counting the hours until they’d meet again.

Joey was already ten minutes early in the entrance hall. Which was really surprising, since he was known for being rather ten minutes late than early. But he couldn’t help it, he just couldn’t stay in his apartment any longer. At that moment, Kaiba stepped through the door. He was on the phone and seemed to be sorting out the last things at work before leaving, but his reserved, serious expression turned to pure surprise when he saw Joey. And as he finished talking, he approached Joey, his gaze fixed on him the whole time.

„All right, I want the numbers in my inbox tomorrow morning. Ten o’clock, and not a minute later. I hope I’ve made myself clear.“ With that, he ended the call and stood a good six feet away from Joey. „Well, puppy, on time for once today?“

At this Joey growled at him a little. „Well, dragon, arrogant as ever today?“ No matter what experiences they had shared with each other over the past few weeks, these little jibes were just so part of them, and Joey had a feeling neither of them would ever get along completely without them.

„I didn’t know you could fly the helicopter yourself,“ Joey brought up and could see Kaiba’s features become a little friendlier. Kaiba leaned a bit further towards him as he replied, „Well, you don’t know a whole lot about me, puppy.“ Joey had to agree with him, he had probably only scratched the surface so far, and an inner longing came over him to find out all he could about the man with the ice-blue eyes.

Just then, the rest of the group joined them. Serenity and Mokuba both looked incredibly excited, while his mum just smiled blissfully to herself. Kaiba led them to a lift that would take them directly to the roof where the helipad was, and suddenly Joey was a little excited too. He had never been on a flight before, not even on a normal plane, and he felt a bit jittery. But he trusted Kaiba, so he told himself that he’d be fine.

They finally arrived at the top, and a few people scurried around the helicopter to get it ready for take-off. One of Kaiba’s staff handed him the headsets, which he immediately handed out to everyone, then he was the first to board and sat in the pilot’s seat. Joey was next in line, and while he was still thinking about where to sit, Kaiba was tapping discreetly on the seat next to him, almost imperceptibly, if you didn’t pay attention, his gaze was pleading. Joey couldn’t help a slight smirk and took the seat next to him. And it felt more than right.

While Kaiba was still operating some levers and buttons, Mokuba, Serenity and his mum sat down in the back seats. There was a short beep through the headset, and Kaiba asked, „Can you all hear me?“ Everyone answered in the affirmative, and Kaiba refocused on the control panels in front of him. Joey was fascinated by the routine with which Kaiba apparently operated the helicopter. At some point, Kaiba was obviously finished but before he finally started the engines, he looked again at all the occupants until his eyes fell on Joey. For a second, he lost himself in the ice-blue eyes in front of him, which made the corners of Kaiba’s mouth twitch a little. Kaiba held the headset mic closed for a moment, then, addressing Joey, he said, „Buckle up, my puppy.“

„Huh?... Oh, yes, of course, sorry!“ With a slight flush of red on his face, the blond fastened his seat belt and Kaiba started the engines.

„Tower, this is Kaiba White Dragon, ready for takeoff, request permission to start.“ Joey couldn’t get out of his amazement again. Somehow Kaiba seemed so unbelievably grown-up, the way he was talking and pressing buttons. It was all so unreal, but Joey was glad it was reality and not just a dream.

„You’re cleared for take-off, have a good flight, Mr Kaiba,“ they heard air traffic control say through their headsets.

„Well, let’s go then,“ the brunet whispered, and just a few seconds later they lifted off the ground. Joey had to suck in a jerky breath. It was an overwhelming feeling. Only minutes after take-off, they were high up in the air, their eyes able to see over the whole city. ‚Oh’s‘ and ‚Ah’s‘ could be heard from time to time from the back rows, and even the blond was simply speechless.

Kaiba flew a big circle over the city, and Mokuba explained every now and then what was to be seen. It was a beautiful day with only a few clouds in the sky, so they had a clear view of everything below them. Then they flew over a wooded area and Kaiba carefully analysed the surroundings. Then he looked at Joey for a moment and put on a slight, mischievous grin, and before Joey could wonder what it was all about, Kaiba steered the helicopter into a low-level flight, only to pull it up again a few moments later, so that they briefly had the feeling of being weightless. Breathlessly, Joey had to laugh. The feeling was strange and a warm tingle spread through his stomach area, but he was having the time of his life.

„Once again?“ asked Kaiba, turning to Joey, who could only nod vigorously. So Kaiba repeated the action, and then again, and then another time, until Joey gurgled with pleasure, and everyone else seemed to be having fun too. Kaiba stabilised the helicopter again while Joey, still full of adrenaline, shook. With wide eyes, he looked at his dragon - though he was already looking ahead again with a concentrated gaze, he was smiling, one of those genuine smiles that Joey was rarely allowed to notice on him. Joey’s longing to touch the brunet grew with every minute, but he really had to control himself.

At some point, water appeared in the distance and Joey tried to see exactly what it was. Until he realised that they were flying towards the sea.

At that moment, he heard Kaiba ask for permission to land. Were they really going... to the sea?

And indeed - with skilful flight manoeuvres he landed the helicopter safely on an airfield that was very close to the sea. It was not the exact same place they had been to, but still quite a wonderful place.

When Joey set foot on the ground, he suddenly felt incredibly heavy. When they were still in the air, he felt this boundless freedom. He wondered if Kaiba felt the same when he was piloting the helicopter.

Mokuba was already running towards the sea, shrieking with happiness, while Serenity and their mum were chatting. He would talk to them in a moment, but he wanted to speak with Kaiba first. He was standing on the other side of the helicopter, his typical cool expression on his face, talking to a man, presumably the one who supervised the airfield. Seeing Joey walking towards him, he nodded at the man, signalling him to move away - a typical Kaiba move, which the man immediately complied with.

„Kaiba, what... why...“ Joey stammered breathlessly. Kaiba took a step towards him before explaining, „When we were here by the sea, you said you were here with your sister when you were kids. Don’t you think you should bring her back to this place that was so special to you?“

Joey felt the first tears coming but he had to restrain himself. He didn’t want to cry, not if his mum or Serenity could see him like this. Funny, he wouldn’t have a problem doing it in front of Kaiba anymore. How crazy had this world become?

„Kaiba, this is... wow, I can’t say anything. This is just... incredible.“

He could see Kaiba struggling with his composure but his eyes spoke volumes. He looked around briefly, but Mokuba was already at the sea and out of sight, his sister and mum were on the other side of the helicopter, and the man from the air traffic control had disappeared back into the building. No one was watching or paying attention to them. Kaiba covered the remaining distance between them and touched Joey’s cheek with his hand, only for a brief moment, but very tenderly.

„Go, puppy. Show her what she’s been missing out on.“ Joey couldn’t suppress a happy sigh. For a brief moment, he took Kaiba’s free hand and squeezed it in thanks before moving away and joining his mum and Serenity on the other side of the helicopter.

„Hey, Joey,“ he was immediately greeted by his sister, „isn’t this the beach where we used to play when we were kids?“

Immediately, Joey couldn’t help grinning. „Exactly! Come on, let’s go to the sea. Can you still remember how we used to build sandcastles?“ Quickly, they ran down to the beach. „Oh God, yes, and yours always looked awful, Joey!“ She had to laugh out loud and Joey joined her laughter. „That’s right, and you always built humongous castles! Come on, I’ll challenge you, we’ll build a sandcastle and Mum will decide which one looks the prettiest and the winner gets... I don’t know, something, we’ll think about that later.“ Beaming with delight, Serenity nodded and they instantly set to work.

~~~~

From a safe distance, Kaiba watched the two siblings. They both seemed so happy and emotionally balanced, and it took every bit of his self-control not to smile again. What was that puppy doing to him? He desperately needed to prevent others from seeing him so weak. On the other hand, that was futile as soon as his puppy came anywhere near him. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and sighed loudly. It was like being jinxed. He really needed to make a plan, and fast.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Joey’s mum coming towards him, with the same smile on her face that the blond always wore. Right away, Kaiba straightened and put on his disinterested expression. Yes, he was back on track.

Wheeler’s mum stood next to him and for a moment, they quietly watched Joey and Serenity, who were obviously having great fun destroying each other’s sandcastles. If he didn’t know better, he would think they were both little kids again. Mokuba more or less stood between them, cheering them both on to do their best. At building sandcastles. What kind of children’s birthday party had he ended up at? Still, it amused him to see the three of them like this - only he would do his best to avoid showing it openly to others, and as long as the puppy wasn’t standing right in front of him, he would have enough self-control to manage that.

„Thank you, Kaiba,“ Wheeler’s mum said, her eyes still forward on her children. Kaiba regarded her from the side for a split second. It really was impossible not to notice how similar Joey was to his mum, not just in looks, somehow also in temperament. She was a little quieter and more introverted but perhaps that was simply due to life experience. She watched her children from a distance, and if he wasn’t mistaken, that look was very similar to the one Joey sometimes put on when he looked at him.

Only then did he realise what she had said. „For what?“

She turned to him and smiled kindly. „You seem to be doing him good. I haven’t seen him this happy in a long time, not since the divorce. Of course, we haven’t seen each other in person since then either, but when we talked on the phone, I just knew when something was up. Maternal instinct, I guess. But now, he just seems happy. And I don’t know what it is between you, maybe you don’t even know it yourself yet, but I see the way he looks at you. He admires you, Kaiba, he looks up to you. And that makes me incredibly happy. If he’s happy, I’m happy, too.“

„Mrs Wheeler, I...“

Laughing, she interrupted him. „Oh, please, can’t we drop these formalities? Besides, I haven’t been a ‚Mrs‘ for a long time either. I’m Elaine.“

Joey definitely got his talent of creating familiarity quickly from his mum. Kaiba felt a little uncomfortable, preferring to create a little distance, but it would also be rude of him not to take her up on her suggestion. So he nodded to her as confirmation that he understood. However, she had confused him so much that he now had no idea what he had actually wanted to say. And maybe there was simply nothing to say. Maybe it was even better that he didn’t talk, to avoid saying any nonsense.

With another smile on her lips, she went over to her children, who immediately captivated her with their silly competition. Although Kaiba didn’t really know what to do with himself, he was content to simply observe. And his eyes were solely on one person, the little whirlwind with the golden-brown eyes, the glowing blond hair and the deeply infectious laugh.

As sunset cautiously announced itself, he approached the group as well. „I’m afraid we’ll have to make our way back.“

„Oh, Seto, can’t we stay a little longer? Ten minutes or so?“ begged Mokuba, but Kaiba shook his head. „Unfortunately not, Mokuba. The sun will be setting soon and it would be good if we were home before dark.“

„Hmph, all right,“ Mokuba relented and headed for the helicopter. Everyone else followed him as well.

Once everyone had boarded, Kaiba started the helicopter to fly the group back home. By now the sunset could be glimpsed, and he knew it would intensify as they flew. It was quiet in the helicopter, he could hear Serenity snoring and it almost seemed as if Mokuba had fallen asleep too. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Joey and... was he crying?

„Hey, are you okay?“ he asked, and when Joey turned to face him directly, he could see that he was right. „What’s wrong?“ Kaiba asked him, unable to avoid a touch of worry.

„Can... can you do something so the others can’t hear us?“ Joey replied. Pretty clever idea actually, he could have thought of that himself. He pressed the right buttons before continuing, „Can you still hear me?“ Joey nodded. „But I’m only talking if you keep your eyes forward! I don’t wanna be blamed if you cause an accident or something.“

Kaiba couldn’t suppress a slight smirk, and even though it bugged him a little, he knew it would only be seen by his puppy. He focused his gaze forward again. „Don’t worry, multitasking is my speciality. So what’s up, puppy?“

Joey sighed before he began to speak. „I can’t really put my finger on it either. It’s just... just a bit much, ya know?“

„Oh...“ Had he done something wrong? Intruded himself too hard upon them with the suggestion to go on a helicopter ride today? But everyone was so excited, including Joey....

Apparently, Kaiba’s frown revealed to Joey that he was thinking far too much about what the blond had just said, so he quickly continued, „No, well, not in the way you might think. The trip was beautiful. The whole last few days have been wonderful. The entire last few weeks actually! I don’t know, I always think I can’t be any happier than I am now, and then you come around the corner and top it off. There’s just so much gratitude and joy in me, I don’t know, maybe that needed to come out. Does that make any sense?“

Kaiba’s heart leapt with each sentence he uttered. He hadn’t been aware that he had such a big impact on how Joey felt. Of course, he was happy about it, he desperately wanted to see him happy, but the fact that he looked at it that way made him kind of proud.

„So those were tears of joy?“

„Mhm, that’s right,“ Joey replied. „I’m sorry if that came across the wrong way.“

„Not at all. If you’re happy, I’m happy,“ he quoted Joey’s mum from earlier - and had to admit to himself that he felt the same way. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Joey smiling again.

He switched all the headsets back on and then announced they would be back to the mansion shortly. Serenity stretched and yawned loudly, and Mokuba rubbed his eyes while Kaiba landed the helicopter safely on the roof of the Kaiba mansion.

~~~~

Now the Christmas holidays were finally over and they were all sitting together at the breakfast table. Joey had observed Kaiba intensively over the last few days and had come to understand that there were basically two personas inside him. The person he pretended to be on the outside, so someone who could openly show feelings to his own brother, but who was otherwise rather cold, distant, sometimes arrogant, bossy and imperious. And then there was the other Kaiba, the one who had a heart. He said things that made Joey’s heart beat faster. Who smiled, albeit tentatively and only when no one else saw him but Joey. Who called him ‚my puppy‘, which was a huge step up from ‚mutt‘ or ‚stray dog‘. And who touched him, setting off an explosive tingle in his body. Joey believed, no, he was sure, that only he got to see this side of Kaiba, also because he was extremely careful that no one else watched him at it. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that his self-control was beginning to falter. Still, the feeling that he was the only one who knew this side of him was indescribable. If it stayed like that forever, so be it - because now at least he knew that this side of his dragon existed.

One by one, everyone left the breakfast table, but Joey still wanted to discuss something with Kaiba. When everyone was already outside and Kaiba also rose from his seat, Joey asked, „Hey, do ya have a sec?“

„I do, but not too much time I’m afraid. Can we talk on the way to my office? I have some important calls to make.“

„Oh, trouble at work?“

He heard Kaiba sigh. „A supplier who delivered late. Sometimes I wonder what I actually have staff for when I end up having to do everything myself,“ he said, annoyed.

They made their way to his office. Once there, Joey started again. „If this is the wrong time, I can come back later.“

„No, it’s okay, I’m afraid it’s going to be a long day anyway.“

„Okay, I just wanted to talk to you for a minute about New Year’s Eve.“ Another gasp from Kaiba as he replied, „Mokuba has probably organised a party, hasn’t he.“

Joey stood quite a distance from the desk. He couldn’t really assess the situation and he didn’t want Kaiba to hit the roof about something like that now. He had to be kind of gentle about it.

„Mhm, exactly. My friends would come, Mokuba invited some school friends too, and my mum and Serenity would be here as well, of course. I... I don’t know, I just wanted to make sure you were okay with that. I know Mokuba would say screw it. Although, he probably wouldn’t put it that way.“ The blond smirked briefly, and when he looked up again, he could also notice a twitch at the corners of Kaiba’s mouth.

„Anyway, if that’s a problem for you, I’ll talk to Mokuba. I mean, we could celebrate somewhere else, not here, but...“ Joey bit his lower lip lightly. What was the best way for him to phrase this?

„But what, puppy?“ Kaiba had stood up and was leaning his hip against the front of his desk, arms crossed in front of his chest. He was wearing a light blue shirt, along with dark blue cloth pants, and Joey couldn’t take his eyes off him. Why was he so attracted to the brunet? He had to clear his throat before he could continue talking in a somewhat strained voice. „But... I don’t know, I... well, if you weren’t there, then... something would be missing somehow. So...“

Joey had lowered his head and could feel the heat in his cheeks. Footsteps could be heard, and Kaiba lifted his head so he had to look at him. He was so close to him. „So, what, Joey?“ Oh God, he’d used his first name, again. He felt all funny, his knees felt like pudding. Kaiba’s eyes were such an eerie intense blue, a storm of different shades of blue. What was this dragon doing to him?

As if in a trance and before he could ponder further how to say it, he simply said, „Please, come to the party too. I want you there.“

Kaiba made him wait some more before answering, was silent for a few seconds that seemed like hours to Joey. He was so uncomfortable, and yet at the same time he could feel the attraction, his heart racing and his cheeks glowing, especially where Kaiba touched him. Then Kaiba put on a slight smile, his eyes narrowing a little into slits. „All right, I’ll be there. But don’t think I’m dancing or doing any other nonsense, okay?“ With that, he let go of Joey, turned and went back to his desk. Okay, this was different somehow. Sure, Kaiba was busy and all, and maybe he was reading too much into it now, but... the heat had turned into a fire that was growing relentlessly bigger, and Joey had no idea how to stop it. Maybe he didn’t want it to stop either - he’d take his chances and be only too happy to get burnt.

„O-okay, t-that sounds good. I-I’ll go help M-mokuba then.“ Stuttering, Joey turned away and left the office. This atmosphere, the warmth of his touches - he had to process it all first. He really needed to put distance between them now and somehow cool down. Even if a part of him knew that wouldn’t be possible.

He spent the next few days until New Year’s Eve helping Mokuba with the preparations. Together with Serenity and his mum, he hung fairy lights, put out more decorations, put away the Christmas tree, discussed meal planning with Mokuba and went shopping for a few snacks himself. His head cooled down a bit again due to keeping himself busy all the time, and also because Kaiba was more or less holed up in his office or in the company. Joey still hoped that Kaiba would show up, just as he had said he would.

It was December 31st and Joey was helping Mokuba with the final preparations. The younger Kaiba Brother had already tipped him off that there would be a phenomenal fireworks display that they would watch from the roof terrace, and Joey was really looking forward to it. He took out his phone and looked at the clock - it was 7 pm, the guests would be arriving in about an hour. Time to retire and get ready.

Back at his apartment, Joey took a long shower and then searched for a suitable outfit in his dressing room. He had been shopping for the last few days and had put together a selection of shirts - when you lived with Seto Kaiba, it was probably good to have some more formal clothes in your wardrobe.

He decided on a black shirt, and since it was a fairly casual occasion, he left the button on the collar and the one underneath open. He wore dark blue jeans and black sneakers with it. In front of the mirror, he briefly fixed his hair again - perfect! He looked at his mobile phone, just before 8 pm. He took his coat so he wouldn’t have to come back before they went out for the fireworks, and then walked towards the great hall they had prepared for the party.

There he met Mokuba, Serenity and his mum. They were all dressed up. Serenity was wearing a floor-length, burgundy dress and looked just beautiful. He still couldn’t believe she was here, and in that outfit, she looked so... grown up. He wished very much that they would see each other more often now. At least more often than every ten years would be a good starting point.

One by one, the guests arrived. Tristan, Téa and Yugi came together and had also dressed up quite nicely. Téa could be seen from afar in her glittery dress, looking like a disco ball, and Joey had to stifle a laugh. „Hey, guys, good to see you!“

„Thanks for inviting us, Joey,“ Yugi replied with a friendly smile. Everyone hung their jackets and coats on the coat rack, and Tristan was the first to raid the snack bar while the others got drinks. This made Joey laugh again. Sometimes his friends really were douchebags, but they were his douchebag friends, and nothing would ever change that.

Mokuba had organised a DJ who now started playing music in the background. Joey looked at his phone for what felt like the hundredth time - already 30 minutes past eight, and still no trace of Kaiba. Had he changed his mind?

But at that exact moment, the door opened, Kaiba entered and immediately attracted everyone’s attention. In an instant, Joey’s knees went weak again and he had to brace himself against a pillar to avoid losing control completely. His other hand held his cup of Coke, which he almost dropped. Kaiba looked stunning. He wore a black turtleneck jumper, black cloth pants and topped it up with a long white coat that was open in the front. His gaze slid coolly over the party, a few strands of hair hanging in his face, and Joey had an overwhelming urge to brush that damn hair out of his forehead. He desperately needed to calm down, but he just couldn’t avert his gaze, especially not when Kaiba recognised him and gave him that intense look that set off a storm of emotions inside him. Joey wondered how he was going to survive even a single minute. Just being in the same room with Kaiba made him feel dizzy. What the hell was happening to him?

„Pfff, what a dramatic entrance, sure thing that Kaiba needs all the attention again, arrogant prick,“ he heard Tristan grumble from the side. This triggered an unbridled rage in Joey. Couldn’t he see what he was seeing? But Téa got right in on it, because she said, „Total show-off, this guy. Dis-gus-ting, that’s all I’ll say about that!“

Joey had to calm down. Obviously, they actually didn’t see what he saw, otherwise they wouldn’t talk about him like that. But he couldn’t suppress his anger, so he muttered to his friends, „Be right back.“ And with these words, he rushed out of the great hall and fled to the kitchen.

Once there, he had to take a few deep breaths. Why was he so upset? Not even two months ago, he would have been happy to go in. Let’s be real, two months ago he couldn’t have even imagined setting foot in this property in the first place. And yet so much had changed, his world had been turned completely upside down, and it was all thanks to that idiot with the fucking rousing ice-blue eyes.

„Here you are,“ he heard a voice behind him, and he knew immediately that this voice could only belong to one. Joey propped himself up against a kitchen counter, leaning forward a little, as he set his eyes on Kaiba. He was still overcome with anger, his breathing was rapid and his eyes were slightly narrowed. „What d’ya want, Kaiba?“

Confusion was visibly written on the addressed man’s face. He closed the door behind him, leaned back against it and crossed his arms in front of his body. „What’s wrong, puppy?“

„What’s wrong? Man, Kaiba, I don’t know what’s wrong. I don’t know what’s wrong with me at all for weeks!“ Joey’s voice was louder than he really wanted it to sound, but all these many different emotions were crashing down on him at once - anger, confusion, fear, happiness, joy, all of it.

Kaiba didn’t say anything back, just stood there and watched him. At least one of the two who was master of his own feelings and senses. Only now was Joey really aware of his presence. Damn it, Kaiba looked even better up close. His jumper was so tight that you could guess his muscles underneath, and the coat just adapted perfectly to his body. And the pants, those damn pants, emphasised his whole appearance. He was perfection personified.

Joey had to avert his gaze again. He wasn’t mad at Kaiba, and it wouldn’t be fair to take it out on him now, he knew that. He just needed to get back in control of his emotions somehow. But he had already tried that for the last few weeks, and where had it gotten him? That he was holed up in the kitchen while the party was going on a few rooms away.

Suddenly he felt Kaiba’s hand on his, still propped on the counter. But he still said nothing, just looked at him questioningly. And when he stared at him like that, Joey could no longer hold back the words.

„Dunno. First Tristan said something stupid about you when you entered the great hall, and then Téa came up with some insults too. It just made me so... so furiously angry. They have no right...“ Joey was panting hard, still having all the trouble he could to calm down. Kaiba pulled his hand away and propped his hip against the counter so that they were now standing side by side.

„You know I couldn’t care less what the geeks are saying, don’t you?“ replied Kaiba monotonously. This only made Joey angrier.

„Well, it shouldn’t, Kaiba. They don’t have the right to say that about you!“ Why couldn’t Kaiba see that? Was everyone actually this stupid today, or was Joey just going completely nuts now?

Kaiba gave an abrupt laugh before getting very close to Joey and whispering in his ear in a raspy voice, „Wouldn’t you have been on the front line two months ago?“

With that, Kaiba had definitely hit the nail on the head. „Look at me, puppy,“ he said with a certain dominance that could not be easily contradicted. Joey turned and was now leaning his bottom against the counter. Kaiba stepped in front of him, arms braced to his left and right, his face close to the blond.

„Listen, your good intentions in all honour, but I really don’t give a damn what your friends say about me. I really couldn’t care less about anything. But if they’re the reason you’re not having fun tonight, all you have to do is say the word and they’ll fly out in a high arc and never be allowed in here again.“

Joey was again overwhelmed with emotion. His whole body became suffused with blazing heat. Kaiba was so close to him and all that he was saying was tightening his throat, he could hardly breathe. He wanted to touch him, but he couldn’t because he no longer had power over his limbs.

Kaiba stroked Joey’s cheek with his thumb, and then, for a brief moment, his lips. That elicited a comfortable sigh from Joey and he could see the fire blazing in Kaiba’s eyes.

„Now, you’re going to go back there and have some fun, you understand?“ Joey knew Kaiba wouldn’t allow any backchat. But still - the blond was curious. “And if I don’t, dragon?“ replied Joey in a choked voice.

The brunet gave an almost devilish laugh before bringing his face even closer to Joey’s so that the tips of their noses were almost touching. Then he said in a throaty voice, „You really want to know, Joey?“ Then he let go of him and calmly walked out of the room as if nothing had ever happened.

~~~~

What had just happened? Kaiba could still literally feel Joey’s heat, his hot breath on his face. His head was spinning and he could see that Joey was feeling the same way, even if Kaiba was still a little more in control of his senses.

By now, the blond had arrived back in the great hall, just as Kaiba had. He watched him closely as he went back to his stupid friends, obviously apologising for his sudden disappearance. It was so ridiculous that he got so angry about something the ‚dweeb patrol‘ said about him. Was there anything in life that was more unimportant than that? Not to him, but Joey cared about what his friends thought. And the fact that he had wanted to defend him had actually been quite honourable of him.

The mood in the hall was exuberant. There was dancing, eating, drinking, everyone was having fun, by now even Joey had a blast and was getting into the swing of things with his friends. When Kaiba entered the great hall for the first time and discovered Joey in the room, he immediately felt hot. The blond looked sensationally good. And then he had also left the first two buttons of his shirt open... He calmed himself by closing his eyes for a moment and concentrating on his breathing. But even with his eyes closed, he saw those passionate, golden-brown eyes before him. He tried hard to take his mind off it, but he saw nothing, nothing but him.

So he gave up and watched Joey dancing friskily, looking just absurdly good. At one point Joey turned to him for a split second and gave him one of his beaming smiles. This guy was killing him. And just as he was about to get another drink to distract himself, Mokuba told the DJ to turn off the music and picked up the microphone. „Hey guys, thanks again for being here today, I hope you’re all having a good time?“ A roaring crowd agreed with him, and Kaiba once again had to wonder what kind of primitives he was dealing with. He glanced briefly at Joey, and he seemed to be very amused by this too. Kaiba had to suppress a smile - two months ago he would have counted Joey among this group of primitive monkeys without even batting an eyelid, but he had learned so much more about his puppy by now that he knew that would be totally unjustified. Joey had never and would never be counted among that bunch of loonies.

„Cool! It’s 30 minutes until midnight and I’d suggest we all make our way ever so slowly towards the roof terrace. So, grab your jackets and coats and let’s go! Don’t worry, there’s drinks and food up there too, it’s all taken care of.“ With that, he turned off the mic and one by one, the party-hungry mob grabbed their warming garments from the coat rack. Kaiba himself was among the last to do so, in no great hurry to get upstairs.

Slowly, he climbed the stairs that would lead him up to the roof terrace. He opened the door that connected the stairwell to the open area and was immediately greeted by cold air. This was exactly what he needed right now.

He stepped out into the open and could immediately make out Joey laughing as he stood in a circle with his friends. Kaiba would stay at a safe distance, he just wasn’t sure if he’d be able to control himself otherwise. He looked for a spot on the edge from where he could observe the scenery well, but remain absolutely unobserved himself.

Then he looked around. Mokuba had indeed gone through a lot of trouble. The entire roof terrace was surrounded by fairy lights, and there were other lamps and light sources everywhere, even smaller lanterns that added a little colour to the whole thing. 

The DJ that Mokuba had hired had all the equipment at his disposal up here as well and continued to play music, albeit much quieter than in the great hall, more as a background sound. But no matter what he did, no matter what he tried to focus on, his gaze kept sliding to the blond with the eyes of gold.

~~~~

Joey looked at his phone; it was five minutes to midnight. His friends were engaged in a lively discussion about hats and other headgear, and he could only imagine the comments Kaiba would have on the tip of his tongue. Speaking of Kaiba, he should go in search of him. He wanted to be with him when the clock struck midnight, and even though he fought it, he just couldn’t anymore. And something told him that Kaiba felt the same way about it.

His eyes scanned the whole roof terrace, and just when he thought he wouldn’t spot him, he could see him, with his long white coat, hiding in one of the far corners. Téa and Tristan were in a heated discussion and not paying attention to him, so he just gave Yugi a quick sign that he would be gone for a bit, and Yugi acknowledged it with a thumbs-up and his typical Yugi smile.

Joey made his way to Kaiba, and even from a distance, he could see that he was watching his every move. He was leaning casually against a wall, and no matter how much Joey would try to deny it, he was magically drawn to him.

„You’re really hiding in the very back corner, Kaiba,“ Joey greeted him with a grin.

„What, did you think I was going to stand there with you and listen to your stupid friends?“

That made Joey laugh again. „No way in hell would you do that. Can you remember how angry I was earlier?“ Kaiba gave him that look that sent heat waves through his whole body. It was just immense, the effect and also power he had over him. The brunet nodded. „Well, Tristan said you were just looking for attention, with your dramatic entrance earlier and all. But I can’t shake the feeling that you’re actually trying to do just the opposite.“

With those words, Joey leaned back against the wall next to Kaiba and looked out at the rest of the people who continued to enjoy the party. Tristan and Téa still didn’t seem to have noticed he was gone, and back here they were safe from too much attention.

„Hmm, you might be right for once, puppy.“ Kaiba turned his head in his direction. They were standing right next to each other, Joey could feel Kaiba’s body heat through the many layers of clothing - or was he just imagining it? Cheekily, he grinned at the taller man. „For once, yeah?“ A storm raged in Kaiba’s eyes, capturing Joey instantly. No use trying to avert his gaze.

Kaiba looked at his phone and showed it to Joey - one minute to midnight. Their faces were still close and neither of them made the slightest effort to keep their distance. On the contrary, Kaiba took one of Joey’s hands in his and even intensified the gaze - if that was actually possible. Joey lost himself in his gaze, he was hot, so hot. He had to touch him, he couldn’t help it. He lifted his hand and now stroked his cheek, just as Kaiba had done to him earlier in the kitchen.

„Fifteen more seconds!“ shouted Mokuba from further away, and Joey let his thumb slide over Kaiba’s lips, then come to rest on his chin. They began to count in turn.

„Ten...“ Joey began. „Nine...“ Kaiba continued to count.

“8…”

“7…”

Kaiba now stood in front of him, arms braced to Joey’s left and right.

„6...“ Joey counted in a hoarse voice.

„5...“ Kaiba moved his face closer so that Joey could already feel his hot breath.

„4...“ Joey’s voice was barely more than a shaky whisper.

“3…”

„2...“ The tips of their noses touched.

“1....”

„Happy New Year, my dragon.“

„Happy New Year, my puppy.“

And as fireworks shot into the sky around them, revealing a miracle of colours, Joey covered the rest of the distance to Kaiba’s lips and kissed him, setting off his very own fireworks in his body. Kaiba returned the kiss without hesitation, pushing his tongue demandingly against Joey’s lips, who was only too happy to grant him entry. Joey wrapped his arms around Kaiba’s neck and pulled him even closer, giving himself completely to desire. It was as if he had been waiting for this all his life. He wanted to feel him even closer and pressed his whole body against his, and their tongues fought a heated battle in their mouths that neither could lose, only win.

~~~~

It was like redemption, a kind of absolution. His puppy pressed fiercely against him and their tongues fought wildly with each other. He could still taste the flavour of Coke in his mouth, and he smelled intensely of mint. God, everything in him was crazy about Joey. How had he not seen this before?

Seen... damn it. He broke away from him and looked around. Apparently, no one was paying attention to them, everyone was looking up at the sky at the fireworks, but he couldn’t take the risk.

„Don’t... don’t stop, please.“ He looked back into those blazing golden eyes, and it was killing him. He knew he wouldn’t be able to control himself, and Joey’s demanding gaze, so full of passion, didn’t make it any easier.

„Come with me.“ He took him by the hand and pulled him into the stairwell as unobtrusively as possible. He knew this was as far as he would get, but here at least they were safe for a while as the party crowd would watch the fireworks.

No sooner had the door closed behind them than he pushed Joey against the wall with a heated force, intensifying their just-interrupted kiss even further. Joey groaned, and that almost drove him out of his mind. The blond immediately wrapped his arms around his neck again, demanding more, and Kaiba would do anything, give him anything. He was totally addicted to him.

Briefly, Kaiba broke the kiss, wanting to look him in the eye. Joey’s eyelids flickered, his breathing was rapid and his eyes shone the brightest gold he had ever seen in his life. Would he ever get tired of those eyes?

His puppy grew impatient and pressed his lips to his mouth in a demanding manner. Lightly, the blond bit his lower lip and he couldn’t suppress a pleasurable moan. God, he had missed so much in his life from which he had so categorically excluded the puppy until now.

In a storm of passion, they kissed, neither wanting to break away. Until Kaiba heard footsteps and voices approaching. He quickly pushed himself away from Joey and the wall, now standing against the opposite wall, when only seconds later the door opened and Mokuba entered the stairwell with Joey’s friends. Damn, weren’t they supposed to have more time? His puppy kept looking at him heatedly, and still, they both had to get their erratic breathing under control.

„Joey, there you are! We’ve been looking all over for you! Happy New Year! Did you have another fight with that idiot over there?“ Frowning, Gardner walked up to Joey, took his hand and pulled him along. „Come on, the party’s going on downstairs!” Joey obviously hadn’t regained his body control and was swept along by Gardner and the rest of the dweebs. He managed to turn around for a second and form a quick ‚sorry‘ with his lips before he was fully gone. How crazy this evening was, well, the whole day actually now he came to think of it. Those lips... Kaiba knew he would need more. And he would go get it. He just needed a plan on how to go about it.


	9. Rescue me... from warm, fuzzy feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> Bloom - The Paper Kites
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/41yIvlFgvGwxq8qTqAR7eG  
> Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4XdnD5c334
> 
> In the morning when I wake  
> And the sun is coming through  
> Oh, you fill my lungs with sweetness  
> And you fill my head with you  
> Shall I write it in a letter?  
> Shall I try to get it down?  
> Oh, you fill my head with pieces  
> Of a song I can’t get out
> 
> And you will certainly want to hear these two:
> 
> Beethoven’s 14th Sonata (Moonlight Sonata)
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/3DNRdudZ2SstnDCVKFdXxG  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8T17Eg2wbM
> 
> Claire de Lune - Debussy
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/6kf7ZCJjEbjZXikivKOsvJ  
> Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvFH_6DNRCY
> 
> You’ll know when it’s best to turn it on ;)
> 
> ~~~~

New Year’s Day. Joey laid awake all night because he was haunted by a heat that he just couldn’t shake off. That kiss had completely taken him over and changed everything. It felt absolutely natural, just right, just the way it should be when they kissed. It ripped the ground from under his feet and he could think of nothing but ice-blue eyes that intensified his desire.

And then his friends had suddenly appeared. His stupid, idiotic friends. They had asked him what had happened, but he couldn’t answer anything. Was still so completely with his thoughts on this man who had so possessed him with his hot kisses. And he wanted it again, God, he would do anything to be able to touch him like that again, to perceive the storm in his eyes, and to fall even deeper into the maelstrom of desire and passion.

It was no use, he wouldn’t get another wink of sleep. The party went on until four in the morning, and in the rush of endorphins, Joey danced with his friends until the end. There was no trace of Kaiba since their kiss, and every single second of it felt like little pinpricks on his skin. Once again, he pondered about what the dragon was doing to him. Was it all part of his plan to put him off from his own, just part of the deal? But would he really be able to only play this longing? He knew Kaiba could be ruthless, but something like this? That would really be on a whole other level, and Joey just couldn’t believe that he had only imagined it. Kaiba’s eyes always told him what was really going on inside the brunet, and he had seen it, the same longing he himself felt.

He looked at his phone, it was just after ten in the morning. There was supposed to be breakfast at eleven. So that everyone could get some sleep after the long night, they had agreed on a later time than usual, and it would probably amount to more of a brunch. Joey could hardly imagine getting a bite down at all, especially not with Kaiba in the room.

He needed to get out, needed to get his mind off things. He knew he wouldn’t get those ice-blue eyes out of his head, or the burning from his skin, from his lips, but he would still give it a try. Hastily, he put on his sports clothes, grabbed his MP3 player and headed towards Kaiba Park. It was a cold January morning, yet the sun shone down mercilessly, making Joey blink a few times as he stepped outside. And then he was off, running as if his life depended on it. He had to push himself to his limit. He didn’t know how long he ran but when he was just outside the door to the house again, all the air had gone out of his lungs, and he enjoyed the feeling. He took his headphones out of his ears and squatted on the floor for a moment to regain his strength before taking the stairs back to the first floor and his apartment. Lost in thought, he looked down at the floor in front of him and watched the moist cloud of air forming in front of his face every time he exhaled. The cool air was balm for his heated body.

After a few minutes of recovering, he stood up, still about ten metres away from the front door - and that’s when he saw him. He had opened the door and was leaning against it with his hip, his arms crossed in front of his chest. And despite the distance between them, it wasn’t hard for Joey to see how outrageously handsome the brunet was. He must have just showered, his hair still wet and hanging in strands down his face. Joey felt like his heart would stop for a moment at the sight of him. How had he found him in the first place? Or in other words, how had he known he was here? Well, that was still Seto Kaiba after all, so he either knew everything or knew how to find out. Did that mean he wanted to find him? Had he been looking for him? Clearly too many thoughts all at once.

He summoned up all his courage. He didn’t want to avoid him at all, but he was so nervous walking towards him, not knowing how Kaiba felt, how he felt about their kiss last night. Would he regret it? He would be lost if he did. It would completely pull the rug out from under his feet. No, Joey might have tried to fight it - but he knew there would be no going back, not after what they had shared last night. He had to find out if Kaiba felt the same way.

In slow steps, he walked towards him. Kaiba hadn’t said a word yet, just stared at him with that mysterious look. Joey had to swallow, the closer he got to him, the greater his desire to lose himself in his eyes again. But he had to keep his wits about him somehow. Help...

„Morning,“ Joey said in a choked voice as he stood only about a metre away from Kaiba. „Hey,“ the latter replied coldly. Did he regret it after all? Immediately a wave of pain seized him, almost pulling his legs away. In fact, he felt dizzy for a moment and had the sensation of falling. He had to close his eyes for a second and take a deep breath - when suddenly he felt a hand on his cheek. When he looked up, he was looking into ice-blue eyes that looked at him worriedly. „Are you all right, puppy?“ His words were no more than a whisper. He knew they were alone and unobserved or Kaiba wouldn’t venture so far.

„I don’t know... is everything all right, Kaiba?“ A silent tear ran down his cheek, and Kaiba wiped it away with a swift movement of his thumb. All the places he touched tingled on his skin. Those eyes were driving Joey crazy, but he was still unable to move his head away. Suddenly something changed in Kaiba’s eye colour and he saw pain. Pain? Kaiba let go of him, but Joey couldn’t yet. He needed this now.

He held him by the sleeve, his gaze pleading, though he didn’t know what he was actually begging for. Kaiba looked at him intensely again, but the pain was still there. Then the taller one asked, albeit hesitantly, „Do you regret it?“

„What?!“ Joey couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Wait, did the great Seto Kaiba have... self-doubt?

Joey covered the distance that had by now come between them and wrapped his arms around Kaiba. He couldn’t look him in the eye or he would lose himself in them, but he needed to say what he had to say because if he didn’t now he had a feeling he never would.

„Never. Not for a single second. How can you believe such a thing for even a tiny moment? Are...are you regretting it?“

Kaiba lifted Joey’s head a little so that they were now forehead to forehead. „No, not even for a breath.“ Oh dear God in heaven. Joey was shaking like a leaf, and he had to keep holding onto Kaiba or he would have fallen over. All the endorphins flooded back into his body because that was all he wanted to know. It was so stupid of him to think Kaiba might have doubts, but it was even more stupid of Kaiba to fear, even for a moment, that Joey would regret it. That would never happen, never.

They stood like that for a few minutes, then Joey lifted his head and looked at Kaiba. „You okay again?“ Kaiba asked him gently, and Joey nodded. And even though he could see clearly that Kaiba didn’t want to end the touching either, he knew it was inevitable. When would the next time be? Why wasn’t it time yet? His longing was already completely taking over him.

„Breakfast’s about to be served, but you’ll want to take a quick shower first, won’t you?“

„Mhm, if that’s okay?“

„Of course. You’re always late anyway, so what’s one more day.“ At those words, Kaiba smiled at him, if only a little bit. Joey was so glad he did because it lightened the situation a little. All the tension of the night and morning vanished with that one smile. Did Kaiba actually know how much power he had over him?

As Joey stood in the shower, the hot water heating his flabby muscles, those intense blue eyes still haunted him. But he was happy, happy that Kaiba didn’t regret it either, and that they could sort it out so quickly. Maybe it was a coincidence, maybe it was fate that they had met this morning, maybe it was planned by Kaiba, but whatever it was, he felt nothing but gratitude.

His hair was still slightly wet but he didn’t want to be too late. So he dressed quickly and made his way to the dining room. Of course, he was the last one there, and as he entered the room, Kaiba sucked in a sharp breath. Joey had to control himself, he didn’t want the others to suspect anything, first, the two of them had to work out between themselves what this all meant.

„Morning, everyone!“ called Joey, trying to put on a good-humoured smile.

„Morning, Joey,“ he heard Mokuba yawn, and Serenity and his mum seemed to be very tired as well. He obviously wasn’t the only one having a short night then. That made him smile while at the same time, he noticed that Kaiba didn’t let him out of his sight.

Still, a few good conversations ensued. Everyone had been excited about the party yesterday. Mokuba was a pretty ingenious party planner, Joey had to admit. He knew what it meant to be a very good host. His big brother could take a leaf out of his book, Joey thought with a grin. It was amazing how different the Kaiba brothers were. One was lively and communicative, the other withdrawn and aloof. But Joey wouldn’t want to have it any other way.

„Hey, Kaiba,“ he then heard his mum say. „Unfortunately, we’d have to fly home tonight. Serenity has school in a couple of days, and unfortunately, I have to go back to work in two days and we still have some things to prepare. I think you guys have school again soon too, right?“

Kaiba nodded. „Of course, I’ll have the plane prepared. Please let me know if you need anything else before then.“ Maybe, after all, Kaiba wasn’t as bad a host as Joey thought, just... different from Mokuba.

„Do you really have to leave, Mum?“ asked Joey wistfully. He didn’t want them to leave yet, and he felt guilty for not thinking about it at all. The only one who had dominated his thoughts for the last few hours had been the man with the ice-blue eyes opposite him.

„I’m afraid so, Joey. But I’m sure we’ll see each other again soon.“ She smiled, but Joey knew that would be unlikely. After all, they had their own lives in America and they probably couldn’t take Kaiba’s private jet all the time. Still, he hoped it wouldn’t be another ten years before they meet again.

„Come on, Serenity, we should start packing our things.“ Serenity followed her with a lowered gaze, and so they were gone.

Late in the afternoon, he was standing by the road where the chauffeur was packing the suitcases from his family into the limousine. His mum came up to him with tears in her eyes, and Joey couldn’t hide his own either. „My boy, take good care of yourself. I love you so much. We’ll speak on the phone a lot, okay? Please, don’t be sad.“

She wiped a few tears from Joey’s cheeks. „I’m going to miss you so much, Mum, Serenity.“ All three of them hugged each other tightly, and Joey didn’t want to let go, but he knew it was inevitable.

„Kaiba,“ his Mum began to speak again, and he hadn’t even noticed that the brunet was suddenly standing next to him. „We want to thank you for your hospitality. Money can’t pay for the fact that I was finally able to see my boy again after so many years. If there is ever anything we can do for you, please let us know. You are always welcome, both of you, and Mokuba too, of course.“

Kaiba nodded and Joey admired how much he kept his composure. „Likewise. My doors are always open to you.“ Wow, since when was Kaiba such a gentleman? He was so exceedingly polite, and it warmed his heart to see how empathetic he was with his family. Joey was sure it was because Kaiba appreciated the value of family, and he was grateful that they could count that among their commonalities too.

The three of them hugged one last time, then Serenity and their mum got in and drove off in the limo. Joey waved after them, then he could no longer hold back the flood of tears.

„Joey, look at me,“ Kaiba said. They were standing in the middle of the pavement, so he held back on touching him, but the fact that he had used his first name emphasised the gentleness of his words. Joey looked up and gazed into worried blue eyes. „I meant what I just said. They can come back any time, any day. All you have to do is say a word and I’ll send the plane. You’ll see them again, okay?“

Joey’s heart almost burst. He was right, he would see them again. Quite unlike Kaiba, who had lost his parents forever. That was when Joey made a decision - whatever it took, whatever was necessary, he would try to make the family for him that he bloody well deserved. He had been so wonderful with his mum and sister, and Joey was desperate to give something back. Kaiba was so incredibly generous that Joey could hardly stand it. What had he done to deserve this?

„I... thank you. Really. I don’t know what to say, it’s just that...“

„You don’t have to say anything at all. Family is the most important thing, and you shouldn’t feel like you don’t have one just because they’re not here. Because they can always be, whenever you say.“

A stream of tears rolled down Joey’s cheeks as he looked at Kaiba. He wanted to touch him so badly but he knew it wasn’t possible here. But his blue eyes told him he felt the same way. The corners of Kaiba’s mouth pulled up very minimally, and anyone who wasn’t standing right in front of him wouldn’t even notice, but Joey saw it. And he saw it as only he could see it.

„I’m sorry, I have to work a bit today. Probably all weekend, in fact.“ Joey looked into the taller man’s guilty eyes and shook his head. „No, you don’t need to apologise. You’ve done so much for me and I’m so deeply in your debt. If there’s anything I can do to even begin to repay you, please let me know. Please.“

Gentle eyes looked up at him, and Kaiba nodded. Then they went back into the house together and each more or less went about their own ways.

In the evening, Joey knocked carefully on Kaiba’s office door and stuck his head inside. He was aware that he probably wouldn’t see him that often in the next few days, so it was the least he could do to bring him a coffee - he knew that Kaiba also drank it in the evening when he still had a lot of work to do. Not that it would even begin to outweigh what Kaiba had done for him, but if it brought him even a second of happiness, at least it would be a start.

Joey entered with the cup of hot brew - with a sip of milk, of course. Kaiba had a headset on and was obviously in a meeting. He looked stressed and Joey didn’t want to bother him for long. He put the cup down on the desk in front of him and added the note he had prepared. It simply said ‚thank you‘, that was all he had been able to put down but at least Kaiba had it on paper now.

Joey was about to head back when Kaiba grabbed him by the arm. He knew he was in the middle of a work meeting, yet Kaiba took his hand for a brief moment and squeezed it. Joey was already lost in his eyes again and gave him a soulful smile. And Kaiba returned it. Joey’s heart leapt at the thought that he was the only one who could see this now.

~~~~

The days after New Year’s Day passed relatively quickly, if only due to the fact that Kaiba was drowning in work and sometimes had to stay up until the middle of the night to iron out what his employees had messed up. In addition, school had started again and Joey was now back at his part-time job. They usually only saw each other for breakfast, and even if they went to the same class, they kept their distance there. Kaiba had to admit that he missed the younger man, his touches, his looks. His whole world had changed since they had kissed. Whenever he wasn’t working and so found distraction, Joey’s eyes and the memories of how he had felt, how he had tasted, took over his whole being. In public, he could keep his composure and behaved as he always did, but when he laid in his bed at night, alone, he felt this deep longing for his puppy.

It was almost mid-January, it was a Wednesday evening and Joey would not be home from work until late again today. Kaiba was sitting at his desk at KaibaCorp and would probably be home much later than the blond. Sighing, he picked up his mobile and typed a message to Joey.

‚Hey puppy, the piano concert is in two days. You still wanna come along?‘

Then he waited. One minute, then two, then five... he hated waiting and tapped his fingers impatiently on his desk. Then, finally, after ten minutes, his mobile buzzed.

‚Hey, sorry, busy today. Sure thing I’m in unless, of course, you’ve changed your mind...?‘

Shaking his head, he realised that his puppy really needed to work on his self-confidence. Had he no idea what an effect he was having on him? How much he missed him when they weren’t together?

‚Who else would I want with me, puppy?‘

‚I don’t know, your... girlfriend?‘

The coffee he had just made to help his concentration for the evening was now spilling out of his mouth and nose. Cursing, he wiped the desk with a paper towel. Where the hell had that come from? What kind of fantasies did the blond have? He definitely had a far too fertile of an imagination.

Briefly, he considered what to reply, then typed his message.

‚Damn, Joey, unless you’ve just had a gender change, I wouldn’t know who you were talking about. I want you, just you, with me, got it?‘

Was that too much? His message already implied that they had something like a... yes, like a relationship? But was it, after just one kiss? He didn’t know, it wasn’t particularly one of Kaiba’s areas of expertise. He had other skills. But something felt right about writing it that way. And whether they called it a relationship or not didn’t really matter. It didn’t change how he felt when he thought about him for even a second.

His mobile vibrated and he didn’t know whether he wanted to read the message or not. What if Joey felt completely different? He picked up the phone - he would only know if he read the message.

A picture? He opened it, analysing it more closely. Joey was leaning forward on a counter, his head propped up with one elbow, his other hand obviously pressing the shutter release of his camera on his phone. Behind him appeared to be the kitchen. He wore dark trousers, a white T-shirt and a ruby coloured apron on top of his other clothes. And he smiled as only he could. His eyes were like liquid honey and his hair was a bit of a mess, making Kaiba feel a great need to stroke through his hair and tidy it up. He couldn’t take his eyes off it, but then the phone buzzed again and he saw that it was another message from Joey.

‚Could you have imagined a few months ago that you, of all people, you, an arrogant, bossy, cold-hearted rich boy, would ever make your nemesis Joey Wheeler smile? Well, here’s proof. I hope you can live with that guilt ;-) ‘

Only Joey would be able to make an insult sound like a compliment. Kaiba had to smile, and he hoped to be able to put that smile on Joey’s face many, many times.

Two days later, he was exhausted when he left the company and was glad that he would finally see Joey again today. He had to hurry a little so that he still had enough time to shower and pick out an outfit. Back at the mansion, he walked purposefully towards his apartment. Once there, he was taking off his shirt when there was a knock. Who could that be? He opened the door a crack, and saw his puppy nervously hopping from one leg to the other.

„Hey, Kaiba, sorry to bother you. I um... do ya have a minute?“ Embarrassed, Joey looked him in the eye, and Kaiba needed every fibre of self-control not to laugh out loud.

„Sure, come on in.“ He opened the door and let the blond in, and it wasn’t until he heard him inhale sharply that he became aware again that he was standing topless in front of him. Oh, he liked that heady feeling, he could get used to it. When Joey had closed the door behind him, Kaiba leaned against an armchair and grinned smugly at him. How he loved to break down his puppy’s reserve. Would he ever get tired of it?

„What’s up, puppy?“

Joey had to swallow hard before he could answer. „Well, I’ve... never been to a concert like this before. Don’t have a clue what to wear. Mokuba couldn’t help me either, so...“

Agonisingly slowly, Kaiba walked up to Joey, who couldn’t take his eyes off him, just as Kaiba couldn’t get that stupid grin off his face. „So, what, Joey?“ He remembered the situation the last time he had used that phrase and a comforting shiver ran down his spine.

Joey’s breathing was quickened and his cheeks were rosy. Kaiba was surprised when he answered, he seemed to have some body control after all. „So I was going to ask you what I could wear. B-but I can just take anything if you don’t have time.“

Tenderly, Kaiba stroked his cheek with his thumb, then his lip for a moment, eliciting a comforting sigh from the blond. This evening was already more than promising....

„Do you want to help me pick out an outfit? Maybe this will help you as an inspiration.“

Then he let go of Joey and went into his dressing room. Everything was neatly sorted, as always. He turned to Joey and asked, „So, what would be your suggestion?“

The blond shrugged his shoulders. „I don’t know, that’s why I’m here. Is this more of a formal occasion? I imagine it’s a bit like that. Definitely a formal shirt then. Somehow I think a suit would be too formal, don’t you? Hmm, maybe a business jacket... but no tie. But I’m not sure about the pants though. Can I wear dark jeans? I don’t have any fancy shoes either, my black sneakers will have to do, but they’re still pretty new, should be fine.“

Kaiba couldn’t help but be amazed. It was remarkable how much thought the blond had put into it. „Sounds like what I would choose too. Shirt, jacket, dark jeans, and the shoes don’t matter, no one’s looking at those anyway. So what would you pick for me then?“

Joey looked around the room. He seemed to have found what he was looking for because he walked purposefully towards the shirts. He pulled out a light blue one and chose a dark blue jacket to go with it, along with dark blue jeans. The outfit looked perfect, Kaiba had to admit.

„Blue it is, then?“

Joey paced sheepishly and had to lower his eyes before answering, „Yes, blue suits you best. It... accentuates your eyes and your hair comes out really well then.“

Kaiba stepped close to him. God, what he would give for Joey to touch him - still standing in front of him with his top off. Leaning close to his ear, Kaiba whispered, „Then I’ll put it on, just for you.“ A short moan escaped Joey’s throat, and Kaiba had to control himself very much. What was the smaller one doing to him?

Joey gently lifted his head and looked deep into his eyes. „Okay, I know exactly what I wanna wear now. Thank you, dragon. When and where are we meeting?“

„How about I pick you up, say, in an hour?“

„Okay, see ya in an hour then.“ And as Joey walked past him, his hand grazed his naked torso. Anyone who didn’t know better would think it was a coincidence but he knew his puppy better by now - this was absolutely intentional, and he wanted it to happen again, and then again, and then again, and then all over again.

An hour later, he was at Joey’s door, and for the first time since they’d been living together, he knocked instead of just using his key card. When Joey opened the door, he could see the surprise at this in his eyes and was very amused.

„Ready?“, Kaiba asked the blond. „Mhm, is that alright?“

Joey stood in front of him with his arms on his hips. He too was wearing dark jeans, a white shirt and a black jacket. He looked just perfect. „Beautiful...“ Kaiba murmured and continued to examine him with a rather transfigured look. Joey smiled gently at him. „Good, then we can go.“

The door slammed behind them and they made their way outside, where the limousine was already waiting for them.

The concert would take place in a bar about fifteen minutes away by car. No one spoke a word during the entire car ride, only their fingertips touched slightly as they both looked out in different directions, into the darkness of that night.

„Mr Kaiba, Mr Wheeler, good evening. Your seats are prepared.“ Politely they were greeted and discreetly shown to a table that was on an upper level, isolated from all the other tables below them. They were alone, apparently, Mokuba had made sure they were undisturbed, and Kaiba thanked him in a silent prayer. Joey took his time to look around carefully.

„Somehow, when I thought of a concert, I thought of a huge hall or something. This already has, I don’t know, kind of an intimate atmosphere, don’t cha think? I mean, down there, there’s room for maybe 50 people, and up here, we’re all alone.“

„Are you disappointed?“ Kaiba asked with genuine interest. But Joey shook his head. „No, not at all, it’s just different from what I expected. I actually like it a lot better this way though.“ And there they were again, those golden-brown eyes beaming at him as if there was nothing but him. They were unobserved up here, so he could scoot a little closer. The waiters would be discreet - it wasn’t his first time here and he knew this bar had an excellent reputation. He also knew that he could destroy it with a phone call if even a tiny bit leaked outside - and the staff here were probably well aware of that. Kaiba’s reputation preceded him, and he had to make sure it stayed that way.

They were served their drinks, then left alone. With a glance, he admonished the waiter that he wished not to be disturbed, who acknowledged this with an understanding nod. At last, he was alone with his puppy, and that was when the first sounds of music could be heard.

Joey listened carefully, watching the piano player intently. Kaiba could not take his eyes off him. The blond was carried away by the sounds of the music, which triggered all kinds of emotions in him. Joey used to seem to him like a strong boy whom nothing could shake so easily. And he still saw the strength in him, of course, but he also saw his sensitive side, the emotions that were impacting him. And he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was the only one who saw him that way. The blond tried, by all means, to hide it from everyone else, and to a large extent, he certainly succeeded. But he wouldn’t be able to hide from him, not any more. And he didn’t have to. He wanted him, and he wanted him exactly as he was.

When Beethoven’s 14th Sonata was played, he could see tears running down Joey’s cheeks. He was so deeply touched that it shook Kaiba to the core. He took Joey’s hand from under the table and squeezed it tightly but he continued to seem so deep in thought. For a moment, the blond closed his eyes, then opened them again and became aware of Kaiba’s presence once more. Kaiba slid a little closer and whispered in his ear, „What are you thinking about, my puppy?“

He didn’t want to see him so sad. Seeing him so moved, so full of emotion, gave him goosebumps from head to toe.

Joey gave a short sob but then answered in a whisper. Their heads were very close so they could hear each other well. „I... I feel so stupid, Kaiba. What I’m thinking is so stupid, I...“

„Joey, nothing you feel is stupid. Please, tell me about it.“

Kaiba now took both of Joey’s hands in his own and turned to face him even more. Joey took another deep breath, then continued speaking. „I was just thinking of how fleeting everything is. I couldn’t help thinking about your parents who died way too soon. They should have seen you grow up. Then you wouldn’t have had to go through hell.“

„Puppy...“ whispered Kaiba but Joey started speaking again. „I feel the same way, after all. If my parents hadn’t divorced, maybe everything would still be fine. And I wouldn’t have had to live in violence all these years. And then the last two months - there’s so much joy and gratitude in me, but it can be over so quickly. Just like that. From one moment to the next. There is no guarantee of happiness. And I ask myself, what can I do to keep this happiness? I don’t want it to pass. I’m afraid of it. I...“

Joey looked at him again, and his gaze was so intense that Kaiba couldn’t say anything at first. Then Joey continued, „I know this probably sounds totally stupid. You once said we are who we are because of the experiences we’ve had. You’re only you because of what you’ve had to endure. And damn it, Kaiba, you’re good the way you are. And I hate myself for thinking like that because to become like that, you’ve had to go through so much. What kind of life could you have had if your parents hadn’t died? You deserved so much better of a life, even though you might be different than you are today, and yet I don’t want you to be different. And I feel so bad for thinking that way...“

Kaiba could no longer think, only feel. He couldn’t ponder about what he said before he said it because all the feelings inside him took control. „That doesn’t make you a bad person, Joey. Next to Mokuba, you’re the best person I know. And there’s nothing you could say that would change my mind about that. Look at me.“ He took his chin and turned it so he had to look at him. Their faces were so close he could already feel Joey’s breath on his lips.

„There’s a saying, ‚Every man is the architect of his own fortune‘, and I’m a firm believer in that, my puppy. You’re afraid that happiness can go away quickly, and in fact, it can. But it’s in your hands. And I will be there, always, whether you need me or not, making sure you have as much happiness in your life as you can stand. That’s a promise.“

„I need you, always. Always.“ There was so much pleading, so much entreaty in Joey’s words that Kaiba could hardly bear it. „I’m here. Always.“ And as the first strains of Debussy’s Claire de Lune played in the background, they kissed. It was different from the first time. There was no demanding, no urging, instead calmness and a certain gentleness. It was a tender kiss, so full of trust in each other, and they both put all their hopes, dreams and desires into it. And the certainty that everything would be just fine if only they were together.

When they separated again with transfigured looks, the end of the piece sounded and thus also heralded the end of the concert. Enthusiastic clapping could be heard from below, and Joey also stood up now and clapped energetically. Kaiba could hardly move, could only watch him and was so fascinated by what an open book the blond was. Why hadn’t he noticed this before? Probably just a few months ago, he was blinded by the facade Joey always tried to maintain. He would not make that mistake ever again.

When the clapping was over and the guests slowly made their way home, Kaiba asked Joey, „Do you want to do anything else?“ The latter looked at him and smiled. Kaiba was glad that the blond was feeling better again and hoped he had something to do with it. „No,“ Joey began, „let’s just go back home, okay?“

Outside, the limo was already waiting for them. Now that there were a few people surrounding them again, they kept a little distance, but their eye contact was still as devoted as it had been a few minutes before. Inside the limo, their fingertips were lightly touching again as the two men looked out into the night.

„Kaiba?“

„Huh?“

„When we get back, can we go for a walk in your park? Just for a few minutes?“

„Anything you want, my puppy.“

Joey looked up blushing and put a little more of his index finger on Kaiba’s. The brunet rolled up a dark window that sealed them off from the driver, the side windows also tinted so you could see out but not in. Once they were safe, he pulled Joey into his arms and kissed him, taking in every sensation, his smell, his taste, the sounds he made. He would never get enough of it, of that he was sure.

Back at the mansion, they set a direct course for the park. Burying their hands in their own pockets, they walked side by side in silence, just enjoying being together. It was a starry night. The further they walked away from the house, the less light fell on them, except for the moon and the stars. They walked past avenues of trees, all of which had shed their leaves by now, bushes and hedges. Behind one such hedge, Joey stopped and looked around to make sure they were really alone. Then, he took Kaiba’s hands in his and looked intensely into his eyes.

„Thank you, Kaiba. For showing me who you are. And for showing me who I am, and who I can be if I want to.“ Then he pulled him down to him and kissed him tenderly, and as the pitiful remnant of his self-control melted away, he realised how much of what he was saying was true for him too.

That night Kaiba laid awake for a long time, reviewing the wonderful evening. He would have to thank Mokuba again, without him they would not have made such wonderful memories at all. And he wanted to make sure that there were more beautiful moments like that between them. He took out his phone and looked again at the photo Joey had sent him. This blond man with the waiter’s apron was so beautiful that he couldn’t breathe. What could he do to make him laugh again? Again and again, and then again?

And there he had the idea he had been waiting for. With nimble fingers, he typed a message to Mokuba.

‚Hey, Mokuba, need your support tomorrow. I’m planning something, maybe you could help me with it?‘

He was sure Mokuba would not be awake but he would see it first thing in the morning. He knew with Mokuba, it would be a great experience for Joey. He just had to make sure the latter didn’t notice.

Before he could fall asleep, his mobile buzzed. Was Mokuba still awake after all? But then he saw a message from Joey.

‚Can I have a picture of you? Would only be fair, since you already have one of me and all...‘

He had to grin. He probably looked totally tired, with thick circles under his eyes, but he was also happy as hell. He didn’t like photos of himself but if it was that important to Joey, he would do it. He’d put on a T-shirt so he wouldn’t freeze in the night and snapped a picture from above so you could see he was already in bed. He tried to smile a little but it was such an unfamiliar situation that he didn’t know if he could really pull it off. After all, this was not one of the usually professionally rehearsed press photos. He sent it off without looking at it again.

‚If anyone else sees this but you, you’re a dead man,‘ he added afterwards, but he knew Joey wouldn’t show this to anyone, just as he had no intention of showing anyone Joey’s picture.

‚So beautiful... sweet dreams, my dragon.‘

He would dream about him, he already did. And hoped that it really was reality and not just a dream. Peacefully, he slipped into sleep, and golden-brown eyes haunted him all night.


	10. Rescue me... from the heat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> Scream - Usher
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/12eMQUn2GzfsfsQLH53M19?si=oZ1qz_s7TyW7IXK5QclwZA  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpsUsP2lIzU
> 
> And if ya wanna know how I looked like while writing this chapter - watch this AMV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgrhVWa0C-M
> 
> Joey’s face at 0:11? That’s me xD
> 
> And I ain’t trying to fight it, to fight it  
> But you’re so magnetic, magnetic  
> Got one life, just live it, just live it  
> Now relax, and get on your back  
> If you wanna scream, yeah  
> Let me know and I’ll take you there
> 
> ~~~~

The last few days had been more tedious for Joey than he had hoped. Kaiba seemed even busier than usual, either coming home from work incredibly late or holed up in his office in the mansion. Joey almost never got to see him, even at breakfast. Mokuba explained to him that he had a lot of work to do at the company and that sometimes, there were weeks like this, and even though Joey understood this, his longing grew immeasurably with each day that passed.

Every now and then, they saw each other in the canteen at school, even though Kaiba sat at a separate table as usual. Often, Joey couldn’t even pay attention to his friends‘ conversations because his gaze was constantly on those tremendously intense blue eyes that looked back at him with the same vigour. Joey found it increasingly difficult to keep his distance in everyday life, especially when he didn’t know when he would next see him.

One Wednesday evening, Joey was back at work in the cafe. It was less busy than usual, although he still found something to do. In any spare minute, he pulled out his phone and looked at the photo of his dragon that he had sent him, and was, as always, flabbergasted by how incredibly attractive he was. In the photo, his blue eyes came across with an intensity that made it hard for Joey to take his eyes off again. The T-shirt he was wearing was loose-fitting and it looked awfully good on him. And then that look on his face... he’d tried to smile a little, you could see that clearly, his hair falling crosswise down his face. Joey got hot when he looked at the whole photo again because Kaiba just looked... sexy and irresistible in it. It was killing him not to be able to touch him. He wanted to be close to him, and yet for the last few days, he had been further away than he had hoped.

He decided that if he couldn’t be with him, he would at least text him. Maybe that would help a little to bridge the time until they would finally see each other again. So he started typing a message.

‚Hey, how’s ya day? Busy here in the cafe today. Gotta think ‘bout you...‘

His heart beat faster as he hit the send button. They hadn’t texted each other that often, only now and then, and usually only when they needed to know something. But Joey just wanted to talk. He couldn’t hide it, he was lonely, and his friends couldn’t satisfy his longing because none of them was his dragon with the intense blue eyes.

He put his phone in his pocket and cleared a few tables, took new orders and brought food and drinks to different tables. A few minutes later, he stood back in the kitchen and looked at his mobile again - nothing. The blond felt disappointment coming up. Or had he gone too far? Maybe Kaiba just wasn’t into this kind of small talk. After all, he knew the brunet wasn’t that good with words, whereas he had actually developed a lot and when they were alone, it didn’t seem to be such a big problem for him. It was in him, Joey firmly believed that, but he just didn’t let everyone know or see it. That, in turn, felt like it was unique to him because he let him and only him in on that side.

Just as his boss was calling him, the display flashed up and showed a message from Kaiba - with a picture. Oh God, now his heart was in his mouth. He desperately wanted to open it but first, he had to do a few things for his boss. Never before had he brought plates from A to B and cashed up guests so quickly. Breathless and with his hands shaking slightly from nervousness, Joey opened the message and the picture. First, he saw the text:

‚Hi, my puppy. Unfortunately busy, wish I was working with professionals for once. Way too many incompetent idiots here... wish you were here...‘

He groaned in surprise. This text showed him that the other had just as much desire to see him. Joey wondered if he would really be able to visit him in his office someday? What did it actually look like? Then, he remembered the picture Kaiba had sent and opened it with a few clicks.

Kaiba was practically lying with his upper body on his desk, his head resting on one of his forearms, the other hand pressing the camera shutter on his mobile phone. His eyes showed so much yearning and at the same time so much passion that he almost ran out of the cafe and just went to see him. But of course, he knew that wouldn’t work. He probably wouldn’t even be granted access to the building, who would know his name anyway? And you couldn’t just get to a Seto Kaiba without an appointment.

How he would love to tousle through that hair now. He looked tired, and Joey would give anything to bring him a coffee. At that moment he noticed a little of the pic’s surroundings. The desk resembled the one he had at home because it was made of dark wood. Kaiba could probably explain to him exactly where the detailed differences were, but who the hell cared. Behind him, he could see a glass front that gave a view of the city, even if it was blurred because the focus was on Kaiba - which Joey was very happy about! In the background, he could still make out the colourful lights of the city at night, which gave the image another very special atmosphere.

He typed a reply and sent it off immediately.

‚I’d love to be with you too. One word and I’ll be right there.‘

Then he had to get back to his work for a bit, he wasn’t paid to text here after all, certainly not with his... yes, his, what? Did he really mean to think of him as ‚his boyfriend‘ just now? They had never talked about whether there was an official designation for them, and frankly, it didn’t bother him. Because in the end, it didn’t matter what they called it, he knew he just wanted to be with him. And that was already more than enough for him.

He felt his phone buzzing in his apron and immediately, he felt this tingling in his fingers. He would soon be off work, so he wanted to give it his all again so as not to ruin his good reputation here. After all, there were some regulars who wanted to be served by Joey again today, so he just had to concentrate for another 30 minutes.

With a snort, he came out of the cafe and made his way home. Normally, he could get a ride home but today, he just felt like a walk. The cool winter air was just the thing he needed right now to reduce the heat of his body at least a little bit. Although he shouldn’t say that so loudly before he had read Kaiba’s next message.

He pulled out his phone and saw two messages from his dragon. He had to smile. Was Kaiba worried because he hadn’t replied instantly? Hey, some people had to work!

He opened the first message and his heart leapt.

‚I wish I could... will be right back in another meeting but my thoughts are with you. Can I have a picture too?‘

Impatiently, Joey opened the second message too.

‚Joey? Are you okay? You don’t have to send a picture if you don’t want to but tell me everything’s okay, yeah?‘

He thought about what kind of picture he could take. It was quite cold today, so he had a cap on as well as his coat and scarf. He took a quick look around - only to realise that he was only two streets away from KaibaCorp. Grinning, he made his way there and snapped a photo, smiling broadly and making the peace sign. Hopefully, he could cheer his dragon up a bit.

He sent it off and added a few more words.

‚Sorry, been too busy the last few minutes. Out now, and look where I am? You’re so close, yet somehow out of reach... When will I see you again? I don’t wanna wait anymore...‘

His answer nagged him slightly. Was he being too pushy? He didn’t feel comfortable with the thought that it might come across that way, so he sent another message.

‘Sorry, I don’t wanna pressure ya or anything. I totally understand that you’re busy, after all, you’re the CEO of both of us. I’m on my way home now. I’ll make do with your photos for now. You are so incredibly beautiful, d’ya know that...?‘

With that, he put the phone in his pocket and continued on his way home. He missed those blue eyes, his touches, his kisses, his words, everything. Every fibre of his body ached for his dragon. When he felt it vibrating in his pocket again, he took out his phone with a sigh and read the message.

‚Oh God, Joey, you’re making this really hard. Really. I want to be with you. Now. Like, right now. But not for long, puppy, all right? We’ll be together again soon... ‘

That sounded rather mysterious, and he couldn’t help wondering what the brunet was up to.

It was the day before his birthday, tomorrow was January 25th, a Sunday. He had nothing special planned, despite the fact that he would turn 18. Somehow, he had forgotten about that during the hustle and bustle of the last few weeks but he knew he could always celebrate later if it was that important to him. At the moment, he wanted nothing more than to see his dragon again. But he was holed up in his home office all day once more and rarely showed his face. Joey noticed how a bad mood built up slowly. He needed distraction, so he sat down at his laptop and tried to find some diversion.

Unfortunately, he didn’t succeed at all, because the first thing he looked for was more photos of Kaiba. It was quite amazing to see how different they were from the ones he had received from the brunet himself. In the photos Kaiba had sent him, he seemed almost a little vulnerable, whereas in official photos he always radiated strength and dominance. And as he scrolled through the picture galleries, he couldn’t help but notice how sexy he appeared. Joey nibbled his lower lip, lost in thought. This look that pierced him like a big nail was so overwhelmingly attractive. His eye colour was dark blue, nothing about him showed even a grain of weakness. Only a few months ago, he would have dismissed it as arrogant and pretentious, but today, knowing what other side still laid dormant in him, he was somehow taken with that side too. He had to shake his head because he found it absurd and satisfying in equal measure. Looking at the pictures, an even greater longing spread and he couldn’t wait to finally see him again.

At that moment, his mobile vibrated next to him. A message from Kaiba, finally!

‚Hey, puppy, could you come to dinner ten minutes early? I’ll meet you there.‘

It sounded so mysterious but everything inside him was tingling and he felt hot and cold at the same time. He replied with a short message that he would be there and for the rest of the day, he watched the clock, whose hands moved only in very slow steps.

He was glad when the time was finally up and he could leave to meet Kaiba. He was a little nervous, after all, they had only seen each other at a distance or just texted for some time. He could see Kaiba from afar and couldn’t suppress a slight smile.

„Hey, puppy,“ Kaiba greeted him, and it felt like they hadn’t seen each other in years. „Hi,“ Joey returned, almost in a whisper. He knew they wouldn’t be able to touch here but he was glad to finally look into his bright blue eyes again, recognising in them the very same longing that had so dominated him the last few days as well.

„Come on, we have to go this way,“ the taller one declared and led him through the corridors. Where were they going now? Whatever it was Kaiba wanted to show him, he was still making a big mystery of it. They arrived in front of a large door and Joey realised it was the great hall where they had already spent Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Kaiba took a small risk by giving him a slight smile before saying, „What I want to show you is in there. Open the door.“

Joey’s hands shook a little with nervousness. He opened the door, but the room was dark. Kaiba slipped through and turned on the light, and suddenly....

„Surprise!“ All his friends were here, as was Mokuba. Balloons and confetti flew through the air and he really didn’t understand anything anymore. „What... uh...“

Yugi had to laugh because Joey was really totally lost, despite the ‚Happy Birthday‘ garland. „Joey, this is a surprise birthday party! We’re celebrating into your birthday together!“

Joey was overwhelmed. He had never expected this. Beaming, he ran up to his friends and hugged each of them, including Mokuba. When he finally regained control of his voice, he said, „Wow, you guys definitely surprised me. Whose idea was that?“

Tristan pointed to a person behind him - Kaiba? „He called us and invited us. Believe me, we were as surprised as you. Have you suddenly become friends or what?“

Joey turned to his dragon, whose expression was again becoming inscrutable to outsiders but he could see the fire blazing in his eyes. How he would love to touch him now, instead, he formed a ‚thank you‘ with his lips. In answer to Tristan’s question, he only murmured, „Something like that...“

It was a really nice party. Mokuba told him that Kaiba had asked him for help with the organisation, but that he had actually only provided ideas and Kaiba had basically taken care of everything. He had even arranged for a DJ and a bar, including a bartender. The younger Kaiba never got tired of pointing out that the elder Kaiba had really thrown himself into it, and he also confirmed to him that this was the reason why the brunet had been so occupied lately, even though he had a lot to do at the company in addition. Could one feel any more gratitude than at this moment?

Every now and then, they interrupted the music because there was also a karaoke machine. Joey refrained, and Kaiba wouldn’t even come close to that thing, but for Joey’s sake, his friends and also Mokuba sang their hearts out, and Joey had to laugh so much that tears kept coming. There was also a lot of finger food, and the room was beautifully decorated, especially with flowers and other plants, but also balloons and garlands. Colourful confetti was scattered all over the floor.

While they were once again dancing exuberantly on the dance floor following another karaoke session, Joey could perceive out of the corner of his eye how Kaiba was watching him permanently from the bar where he was sitting the whole time. Others might find this strange but he enjoyed his stares. He wanted all his attention for himself and felt special every time he looked at him, and only him. The brunet had put on his incomprehensible Kaiba expression again though, but Joey knew the truth behind it.

At some point, he needed a break and went over to Kaiba at the bar. He ordered a non-alcoholic cocktail, and when he had the colourful mixture in his hand, he sat down on one of the high chairs and turned to Kaiba.

„Thanks. Honestly. Every time I think it can’t get any better...“ The corners of Kaiba’s mouth twitched slightly and Joey knew that he was using his complete body control right now. Everything drew Joey to him, he was like a magnet, no chance of escaping him. It was like a law of nature, physics, chemistry and biology combined. Not that he had paid much attention to these - or any other - subjects at school. But he knew he wouldn’t be able to escape it, and Kaiba’s gaze and slightly parted lips signalled that he felt the same way.

„Did you get all this yourself?“ asked Joey curiously. Obviously, this brought Kaiba to the edge of his self-control, and Joey could tell by the look on his face that he was only able to suppress a grin with a great deal of effort. „Puppy, can you imagine how many times in my life I must have stood in a flower or a party supply shop?“ Joey didn’t have that much self-control and had to grin widely. „Probably about as many times as I paid attention in maths class.“ Of course, Joey knew he had delegated all of this, but he was the one who had thought about what to get, and that alone counted for him.

„Joey, it’s almost midnight!“ Téa called out to him, and laughing, he went back to the group, even though he would actually have preferred to stay with Kaiba, who didn’t budge. As the clock struck midnight and announced his birthday officially, each of his friends took out their confetti cannons and showered the blond with millions of coloured pieces of paper so that he was completely covered in them.

He couldn’t stop laughing as one after the other congratulated him. A cake was brought in, even with a candle on top. Joey thought for a moment about what he should wish for, then an idea struck him and he blew out the candle. He was curious to see if his wish would actually come true tonight...

Each of his friends had even brought presents. „Guys, you really didn’t have to do that,“ he indicated, but his friends and Mokuba vehemently disagreed. They presented him with Duel Masters cards, cinema vouchers and much more, and an uncountable number of birthday cards. He was surprised to see Kaiba approaching him. Mokuba offered to take the gifts from him as Kaiba placed a small package in both his hands. As he did so, their fingers touched for a split second, sending an electrified pulse through Joey’s entire body.

Carefully, he opened the small package - just to find a keychain with an aeroplane in it. He looked at it from all sides but couldn’t quite make sense of it. Then, he saw that a small letter was enclosed. Mokuba took the keychain from him so that he could look at the letter in peace. He turned away from his friends a little to have it all to himself.

‚Joey,

I’ve been working on this letter for about two hours now, I’ve rewritten it several times and then I’ve thrown it all away again. I just want to wish you a happy birthday, but I can’t find the right words to do it properly. Just Happy Birthday - does that do you justice at all? I don’t think so.

You just sent me this beautiful picture of you in front of KaibaCorp, and everything in me wants to get you up here, press you against the wall and kiss you. But I’ve made it my goal to organise a nice party for you, and even if Mokuba is very helpful, I’ll do most of the work.

My puppy, I promised to give you as much happiness as you can bear, and I hope there is still room for that. You will have unwrapped your present by now. And no, I’m not giving you a private jet - not yet, at least. Do you want one?

I’m getting off-topic again, and I don’t feel like starting all over once more. What I really wanted to say was: I hope you’ll like your present. I’m giving you a trip to the USA, to your mum and your sister. You can take as many people as you want, and whoever you like, and even though I wish you would choose me, the decision is entirely yours.

Happy birthday, Joey. I know I’m probably standing next to you like a total idiot right now, watching you read this letter. I’ll be sure to keep a neutral expression again so that the geeks don’t make any stupid comments. Therefore, as you read this, imagine me taking your hand, my other hand touching your cheek and me kissing you.

Seto‘

Joey had to breathe. Inhale! Exhale! He couldn’t believe what he had just read. Had this really been written by the guy who was standing next to him right now and seemed absolutely unconcerned? This wasn’t just a gift, this was a revelation. He wanted to read it again and again. How stupid was Kaiba to think he wouldn’t take him? If he had to choose one person in the entire universe, he would choose him, him and always him.

Oh God, he had signed with his first name. Joey was getting hot and he was afraid he was about to faint. When had he become such a weakling anyway?

„Hey, Joey, let me see, what does it say?“ Téa called out to him, but he quickly folded the sheet and put it in his pocket. Never would he let anyone else get their hands on that. This was meant for him, and him alone.

„Hmph, and all he’s given you now is this keychain? Pretty boring if you ask me,“ Tristan said, and Joey had the extraordinary urge to kill him again.

He took back the little plane from Mokuba and turned it back and forth, looked at it from all angles again and again, and then once more. „He gave me a trip to see my family,“ Joey murmured. They should know, should know what a special present Kaiba had just given him, even if he didn’t know whether he should find the letter or the trip more precious.

„What, to the US?“ asked Téa, and the mouths of all his friends stood wide open. Joey could only nod, and Mokuba’s knowing smile told him he had a hand in that too.

„Wow, Kaiba, that’s a really nice present,“ Yugi said, and Kaiba pulled away, panting loudly. At some point, Joey would want to find out why exactly Kaiba cared so much about keeping up this facade at all costs, but this was neither the place nor the time for that.

Joey woke up again from the kind of trance he had just been in. „Guys, thank you so much for the wonderful gifts and congratulations, you are the best!“ After hugging everyone individually, the only one left was Kaiba, who had sat back down at the bar. How could this guy seem so calm when there was a huge storm raging inside Joey right now? He took a few steps towards him but stayed at a safe distance, otherwise, he didn’t know if he’d be able to control himself. He tried to pack everything that was on his mind into a single glance. His friends were the best, but he was the very best. Hopefully, he understood what he was trying to tell him. Before he turned back to his friends, he could see longing and desire flashing in Kaiba’s eyes, and he absolutely felt the same way. He had never longed for the end of a party as much as he did at that moment.

It was about two in the morning when the first ones started to say goodbye. They had still been dancing exuberantly after midnight, and Joey’s whole body was tingling from all the endorphins and Kaiba’s penetrating looks who didn’t take his eyes off him for even a second. First, Yugi said goodbye, then, a little later, Téa and Tristan disappeared, and finally, Mokuba made an effort to leave as well.

„Mokuba,“ Joey said as the younger Kaiba was about to leave. „I wanted to thank you. I’m sure you helped your brother a lot with this party, and it was just fantastic!“

Mokuba smiled at him. „You’re welcome, Joey. Now go talk to each other finally!“ Mokuba said these last words laughing out loud, then he waved at them and was gone.

Suddenly, the room was quiet. The DJ and the barman had left and it was just Kaiba and him in the great hall. Joey, who still had his back to Kaiba, turned around and every step he took in Kaiba’s direction echoed in the now so empty hall until he was standing right in front of him.

Then he didn’t know what to do. He was so full of feelings and yet he could not find the right form to express them. But he had to try.

„Thank you.“ His words were little more than a hoarse whisper. Kaiba was still sitting on the high chair, which he had moved down a little so they were both at eye level. Desire flared in his eyes again. He stretched his arms out in Joey’s direction, which he was only too happy to accept. Then Kaiba pulled him between his legs and Joey’s heart leapt. Joey looked intensely into the brunet’s eyes and could no longer resist the urge to finally touch him. His hands went to Kaiba’s cheeks, which seemed to glow, while Kaiba’s hands went to Joey’s hips.

„You’re amazing, you know that?“ said Joey, finally brushing that damned strand out of his dragon’s forehead. Kaiba’s mouth was slightly open, and Joey ran his thumb over it, which immediately elicited a throaty moan from the taller one. Then he started nibbling Joey’s thumb, and the blond again felt like he couldn’t stay on his feet any longer because the adrenaline took complete possession of his body.

„God, I missed you so much,“ Joey whispered in Kaiba’s ear, who then exhaled loudly. „And I missed you more,“ Kaiba replied, who must have finally found his voice back. „Can you imagine how hard it was for me to see you only in photos for so many days? I kept imagining you with me and what I would have done with you then.“ Joey had to swallow hard.

„Yeah? Tell me what you imagined with me.“ Joey wanted his dragon to keep talking. Instead, he pulled him close and kissed him intimately, and Joey could no longer control the heat in his body. Again and again, he moaned into the kiss. Kaiba’s hands moved under his T-shirt and his cool fingers burned on his back. Then Kaiba broke the passionate kiss and started kissing Joey’s neck, but the blond was dying to hear him talk, to hear him say what he had imagined when he wasn’t there.

„What did you imagine when you were in the office? When I texted you and sent you the photo in front of KaibaCorp?“ asked Joey in a choked voice. Kaiba eased off his neck and moved his lips to his ear, which he nibbled on a little before saying, „So much, Joey, so much. How much do you wanna know?“ It was obviously a serious question. Yes, how much did Joey actually want to know? He couldn’t take it anymore, he needed it all or he would burst.

„Everything, my dragon, everything. Gimme everything.“ In a low voice, Kaiba groaned as he began to speak.

„I imagined you coming into my office and locking the door behind you. Then you approaching me with slow steps. I come towards you and press you against the wall, and then I kiss you like I’ve never kissed you before.“

„Oh, yes, God... more...“ Joey begged.

At that moment, Kaiba stood up, embraced him and lifted him up, and at the same time, Joey encircled him with his legs. He could feel Kaiba’s big hands on his butt and wrapped his arms around his neck. While Kaiba carried him, Joey kissed him deeply. Then Kaiba pressed him against a wall, his hands still on his ass.

„Then I lifted you up, just like this,“ he continued, and Joey’s moans grew louder. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t hold back now. Everything Kaiba was saying was only heating him up more, and he was greedy, wanting everything the taller man was willing to give.

„And then?“

Ice-blue eyes met golden-brown ones, and their two mouths joined again in a heated battle of tongues. Joey nibbled lightly on Kaiba’s lower lip, almost driving him out of his mind.

„And then I drove you to the brink of insanity. You kept saying my name, softly at first, and by the end, you were screaming it.“

„That’s so hot, Kaiba.“

The brunet eased off the blond’s neck and looked desirously into his eyes. „Say it, Joey, say my name.“ It wasn’t a request, it was an order. „Kaiba...“ moaned Joey, which earned him only a diabolical laugh. Kaiba was very close to his ear, and Joey could feel his hot breath all over as he whispered, „You know I didn’t mean that one, Joey.“

Kaiba opened Joey’s lips with his thumb, which the blond licked and sucked impatiently. He was so addicted to this man and he would do anything he told him, just anything.

„Seto...“ Saying his first name for the first time felt kind of dirty, and it only excited him more. „Louder, Joey,“ he commanded, and his dominant tone turned Joey on so much.

Joey groaned loudly. „Seto,“ he shouted even louder, and everyone in the room would have heard it if anyone else had still been here. It looked like Joey’s wish from earlier was actually going to come true today....

~~~~

Seto felt like he was about to explode. Everything about him wanted Joey, his every touch burning into his skin and leaving a hot trail. He tasted so good, and the way he kept saying his name turned him on like he wouldn’t believe. He was addicted to his puppy and lost in the passion of their bodies.

„Aaah... Seto... please,“ his puppy begged him. Yes, that was exactly how he wanted him. „Tell me who you belong to, Joey,“ he said in a firm tone. „I’m all yours... Seto... I belong to you, only you,“ the blond moaned against his ear, barely able to contain himself.

„What do you want, Joey?“

„You. With me, on me, inside me. I want to feel you, everywhere. Please, Seto, I can’t wait any longer. Please.“ Seto would be only too happy to grant him that wish. He let go of him for a moment, causing his puppy to whimper. He, therefore, leaned in close again to whisper in his ear, „If you think I’m going to leave you alone for even a second tonight, you’ve got another think coming.“ Joey was getting impatient, he could tell immediately. He traced circles around Joey’s lips with his thumb, who kept trying to catch it with his tongue. Then he lifted his chin, and the intensity in the blond’s eyes was breathtaking. „We have to get to my apartment somehow. Do you think you can do that?“ Breathlessly, Joey shook his head and Seto had to laugh. Again he took his chin between his fingers, then said demandingly, „You have to. Do you understand me?“ Joey nodded his head vigorously, and Seto couldn’t shake the feeling that his dominance was turning him on. Interesting how things could change.

Seto opened the door and looked to see if the coast was clear. Then he nodded to Joey, „Okay, this way.“ He could hear his puppy panting loudly, and he too had to control himself not to take him right here in the hallway. His arousal was already painful to feel and he was sure Joey wouldn’t feel any different. He caught him trying to take his hand and scowled at him, causing Joey to bite his lower lip in lustfulness. Damn, the blond was really getting turned on from this. He was really making it incredibly hard for Seto. But it was only a few more feet...

Finally arriving at his door, he took out his key card and manoeuvred the blond through. The door fell shut behind him, their breathing was rapid, and for a second, they just looked at each other. Then they rushed towards each other. Joey pressed his lips to Seto’s, begging entry with his tongue, instantly causing a hot fire in his mouth. Seto’s hands went back under Joey’s T-shirt.

In a choked voice he heard Joey say, „Tell me what you wanna do to me, Seto.“ So his puppy was not only into his dominance but also into dirty talk? Could this actually get any hotter and more sensual than it already was? He would give Joey everything he had.

„First, let me get that pesky T-shirt off you.“ He first pulled his T-shirt over the blond’s head, then stripped off his own shirt to level the playing field. Joey’s hands slid greedily over his now naked torso. „You’re so hot, Seto. Even that night from the concert, I could barely keep my fingers off you, you know that?“

„Oh, yeah, I noticed, but you didn’t quite make it, did you, puppy?“

„How could I? You’re so beautiful, and I want to touch you all over.“

„Yes, Joey, tell me where you wanna touch me.“

The blond looked hungrily into his eyes as his fingers slowly moved towards his waistband. Once there, he ran first one, then more fingers underneath, just a bit so that he reached the waistband of his boxers, and Seto put his head back and moaned. The smaller one was wearing him out, and every touch set off a heated explosion in his body. He wouldn’t last much longer. He wanted Joey, and he wanted all of him.

„Are you sure you want this, Joey? I can still stop, but it’s getting harder and harder for me not to just throw you on the bed and take you.“

Fingers still on his waistband, Joey was now walking backwards, along with him, and slowly towards the bed. No, he wouldn’t want to stop, and that elicited a comfortable sigh from Seto.

When they arrived at the bed, Joey said, „I’m all yours, Seto. Show me what it means to be yours.“ No sooner had he said that than he had undone the button of Seto’s pants. The blond really didn’t miss a beat, and Seto should be fine with that. He would show him what it meant to be his.

He pushed Joey onto the bed, who was now lying under him, eagerly waiting for the next steps. Seto knelt above him, and he felt the heat inside him bring out the first drops of sweat, and Joey seemed to meet a similar fate. Seto joined their mouths and tongues together before continuing down his neck. Then he kissed his way down to his nipples, which he sucked on with relish, eliciting a hot moan from his puppy. „Yes, Joey, that’s right, moan for me. Show me you like it.“

„Aah, Seto... more... more...“ His begging clouded his senses and he continued to run his tongue along the blond’s body. Then he ran his tongue slightly under Joey’s waistband, which was acknowledged with another groan from the blond. Seto straightened up a little and ran his index and middle fingers over Joey’s lips, which he licked greedily, giving him a heated look. „We should get you out of those bothersome clothes first, don’t you think?“ Joey now took Seto’s fingers in his hand to lick them more intensely, and without averting his eyes, he whispered a hoarse ‚yes‘.

Seto then withdrew his fingers from Joey and with agonising slowness undid the button of his pants, pulled down the zip and waited to see how Joey would react. He could sense his impatience, so he pulled his pants off, and with one tug the boxers were gone too. For a moment, Joey seemed fully aware of the situation and tried to cover as much as he could with his arms and hands. In response, Seto pressed Joey’s legs apart, then said with a touch of tenderness, „You’re stunningly beautiful, Joey, perfection personified. You have nothing to hide or be ashamed of, certainly not in front of me. I want you just the way you are, okay?“ Joey took a choppy breath but nodded at him, which Seto rewarded with a soft laugh. Still kneeling over him, one of his hands stroked Joey’s erection. He kissed him again on the neck as his hand moved slowly up and down. „How does that feel, Joey?“

„Hot... Seto, gimme more... aaah...“

Joey clawed his hands into the sheets and thrust his pelvis towards him. „That’s it, my puppy. You want more?“

„Yes, much more... I wanna feel you inside me, Seto... please, I need this, I need you.“

„God, Joey, you turn me on so much, do you even know that?“

With those words, Kaiba stood up, and at first, Joey wanted to protest, but then he saw Kaiba unzip his pants. Joey’s look was divine - he had propped himself up on his arms and was looking at him with his mouth open and his eyes transfigured.

„Do you want me to keep going, Joey?“

„Fuck, Seto, if you don’t do it, I will,“ the blond said impatiently, and Seto couldn’t suppress another moan. He wanted everything from Joey, he wanted to hear him scream his name, just like in his fantasy.

He got rid of his pants first, then, very slowly, his boxers too. Joey’s eyes told him all he needed to know, but forthcoming as his puppy was, he couldn’t help commenting. „You are so incredibly beautiful, Seto. So hot...“

Seto lost himself in Joey’s words and was now kneeling over him again. He reached past him into his bedside table to take out the lube. He had bought it only a few days ago (disguised as best he could so as not to be noticed as Seto Kaiba) when he became aware of the fantasies that had developed with the blond. It had been more wishful thinking, he never thought he would end up here in his bed so soon. But he couldn’t help but realise that Joey was even hotter in reality than he could have ever imagined.

What really amazed Seto was that he couldn’t detect a tiny hint of nervousness in Joey. He could hardly imagine that he had done this before - just as he himself has never done it. And yet it felt so natural, he just knew exactly what to do, and with his puppy lying here so willingly under him, he just couldn’t help himself either. He was completely addicted to him, with all the senses that were at his disposal.

„You tell me if you don’t want anything. I’ll stop right then. Got it?“ Joey licked his lips and nodded. He was really into that commanding tone, and Seto was also very comfortable in that role.

„But Seto, I don’t think you can do anything I don’t want. I want everything from you, and I want it now.“ Seto leaned a little further over him again, kissed him fleetingly, and then whispered in his ear, „You’re going to get everything from me, Joey, and I won’t stop until you scream my name.“ With these words, he wet the first finger with lube and slowly but firmly inserted it into Joey. The latter sucked in a sharp breath and Seto watched him closely. As much as he enjoyed the dirty talk with Joey, he would never intentionally hurt him. The blond clawed at the sheets again before begging Seto, „Ah, yes, gimme more, Seto!“

So he added a second finger, which he had also lubed sufficiently beforehand. He let it slide into Joey, as he had the first, and then began to move inside him. Slowly at first, so his puppy could get used to the feeling, then more and more demanding and faster. „Seto...!“ His moans grew louder, and Seto could only hold back with great difficulty. He had to be patient for a moment longer, then he would make Joey all his.

When he realised that Joey was moving against his fingers, he added the third finger. This took Joey a little longer to get used to, and Seto adjusted the pace a little. They didn’t have to rush anything, and he really wanted Joey to enjoy it, to give him what he wanted and needed.

When he noticed Joey’s muscles relaxing, he moved his fingers faster again until Joey suddenly said, „Stop! Enough of the appetiser, I want the main course!“

„Do you have any idea how sexy every word you say is, Joey?“ Seto slowly removed his fingers. His puppy was ready, and oh, so was he. Slowly, he applied his own erection to Joey’s entrance, and when Joey felt it, he smirked and bit his lower lip.

„If you keep biting your lower lip like that, I won’t be able to control myself, my puppy,“ Seto said in a fiery voice. With difficulty, Joey was able to look into his eyes, which were so full of ecstasy, and replied, „Then don’t, Seto.“

That was enough. He could wait no longer. Slowly he penetrated Joey, who contorted his face a little in pain. He gave him the time he needed to get acclimated to the feeling. Damn, he was so tight, and Seto had to take a deep breath to keep him from coming right away. He wanted to really savour this.

Seto stroked his puppy’s hair and looked at him tenderly. „Tell me if you want me to stop.“

But Joey just laughed devilishly. „Do you still not understand? Take me, Seto, please!“

Now he penetrated him completely, and Joey cried out loudly. Seto was afraid at first, that it would have been a bit much after all, but when he saw the grin on his puppy’s face, heard his stifled moan, he realised he liked it that way. Man, never had he thought he would be so greedy. And how he would take him, over and over and over again, until he forgot his own name.

Joey moaned lustfully and Seto couldn’t control his moans either. He moved slowly at first, and when he realised that Joey liked it that way, he sped up. He continued to test the limits, his thrusts getting harder, and Joey’s moans louder and louder.

„Say it, say my name, Joey,“ he commanded the blond who was writhing with lust beneath him. „Aaah, Se-to... Seto... Seto... SETO...!“ God, how he loved to hear his moans. He seemed to have hit a good spot because Joey was now clawing into his back and moaning incessantly, always minimally punctuated by heavy panting and trying to still get oxygen somehow.

He realised he wouldn’t be able to keep it up for much longer, but he would make sure his puppy came first. So he thrust harder, faster, until he realised Joey’s whole body was tensing.

„Come for me, Joey,“ Seto said, taking Joey’s erection in his hand, which he was now gently caressing in addition, stroking up and down. Realising it could only be seconds, he too readied himself for his own orgasm.

„SEEETOOO!“ He screamed his name as he came, and it was a million times better than all his fantasies put together.

„Oh, God, Joey,“ was the only thing he could say before he came inside him.

~~~~

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Seto was still inside him and he couldn’t believe they had just done it. That had been so hot and he already knew he would never get enough of it.

Slowly, Seto slid out of him and rested his head on his stomach. Even if they wanted to speak, they would have to catch their breath now first. Joey found the strength to talk first. „Incredible, that was... breathtaking... so good... you must have practice at that, that wasn’t normal.“

Still breathing heavily, Seto propped himself up on one elbow and looked at Joey. „Believe it or not, I haven’t had any other practice object yet. And I couldn’t have asked for a better one for the first time.“

Joey was overcome with emotion. He was still so intoxicated from all his feelings and shaking all over. He leaned forward a little so he could kiss Seto, then he said, „Promise me it won’t be the last practice. With me, I mean. And no practice with anyone else! Oh, you know what I mean.“ Seto’s hearty laugh was infectious. He felt so much warmth inside him. „I promise,“ Seto said, kissing him tenderly on the forehead.

As he stood up, he noticed the aftermath of what they had just done. „Well, are we in a bit of trouble, puppy?“ He wouldn’t get into that teasing - sure, Seto was right, but he wouldn’t give him that satisfaction. Grinning cheekily and holding his head high, he disappeared into the bathroom, only to emerge a few minutes later cleaned up.

Joey watched Seto, who was obviously in the final stages of changing the bed linen. „Didn’t know you knew how to change sheets, Seto. I thought you had staff for every shit.“ Grinning, he stepped up to the taller one and hugged him from behind. Their skin had cooled and transitioned to a comforting warmth.

Seto turned and took Joey’s face in both hands before saying, „I do, but do you really want me to get someone from the staff right now?“ Seto’s grin was still evident in the kiss that followed. Joey gathered up his clothes and put on his boxers and T-shirt, Seto doing the same. Then an uncertainty spread through Joey. Seto seemed to notice this immediately and asked him, „Are you all right, my puppy?“

The blond hugged Seto and took in all his scent with a deep breath. For a brief moment, he was silent, then asked, „Do you want me to go?“ Seto released the hug and lifted Joey’s head so they had to look into each other’s eyes. „Absolutely not, do you understand?“ Joey had to grin at the grim expression on the brunet’s face, and replied, „Yes, Mr Kaiba, sir!“ This elicited a pleasant laugh from Seto. „I could get used to that too if I’m honest. But now, off to bed before I make another pass at you again.“

And after Seto had also disappeared briefly into the bathroom, they both climbed under the freshly made duvet, intertwined their arms and legs, and fell asleep peacefully for the first time in months, being absolutely conscious that they were exactly where they wanted to be.


	11. Rescue me... from misunderstandings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> Temporary Bliss - The Cab
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/1TRrCyu9o8NYMPHR8G7dU0  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnugraD0wOQ
> 
> Cause I can’t keep sleeping in your bed  
> If you keep messing with my head  
> Before I slip under your sheets  
> Can you give me something please?  
> I can’t keep touching you like this  
> If it’s just temporary bliss  
> Just temporary bliss
> 
> ~~~~

Joey woke up to the sun’s rays tickling his nose. At first, he had to get his bearings - where was he? Then, suddenly, he heard a noise next to him - Seto turning on his side so that the blond could now see his face but his eyes were still closed. And that’s when Joey came to remember everything, every single detail.

This was probably the best start to his birthday he had ever had. Just thinking about all the words and touches made him feel hot again. He also laid down on his side and looked at the brunet who was still sleeping peacefully next to him. Everything arrogant or commanding had disappeared from his features and made way for a gentleness that sent a pleasant shiver down Joey’s spine. His mouth was slightly open, and Joey couldn’t help but think that his dragon looked simply adorable. And beautiful. And sexy. He could probably think of a million other adjectives but none would be good enough to even begin to describe what he saw when he watched him.

Joey let out a soft sigh without taking his eyes off the taller man. The evening had been beautiful, and he recalled the stunning letter Seto had written him. He was sure Seto would still think the letter wasn’t as perfect as he had wanted to write it but to Joey it was simply everything. And so much more. It was an expression of how much effort Seto put in. Joey would never be able to give it all back, ever.

He looked at Seto, who at that moment had a strand of hair fall into his face, which he brushed out of his own forehead, still asleep. He wanted so much to touch him but he was sleeping so peacefully, so he controlled himself.

Joey heaved a heavy sigh. It was all a little too good to be true. Suddenly, he was caught up in a powerful whirlpool of thoughts, immersed in a very specific thought that unfortunately kept coming back. Yes, everything they had done had been stunning. But the more beautiful it got with Seto - and he couldn’t really imagine there being anything to add to the last night - the more he was troubled by the thought that it could all be fake. All just part of the deal, the plan to cover himself should Joey want to hold on to his own.

Joey wanted so much to believe that Seto had changed. But was that true? Could a person turn 180 degrees in such a short time? Or was all this actually already inside him and he just didn’t see it before? Seto had no problem putting on a facade in public, and Joey enjoyed the fact that only he knew the other side of Seto Kaiba, but what if that side he thought he knew was also just a masquerade? If someone could create a tough mask for the public, couldn’t that same person also create a softer, gentler version of himself with ease to fool other people? Seto was, after all, known to do anything to achieve his goals. But would he really be so ruthless as to do such a thing to Joey?

It was still early in the morning and Joey’s nerves were already shot to pieces. He was torn, and in the end, there was the simple question of whether this was all real or part of a huge lie, a big Kaiba plan, and he unsuspectingly fell into his trap. Joey just wanted to be happy, to enjoy this, and he tried with all his might, but the voice in his head telling him he couldn’t really be sure Seto was serious about him was getting louder by the week. If it was just a subtle whisper at first, Joey felt like it was screaming directly into his ear now.

When he came close to reality again, he saw two bright blue eyes looking at him gently, and again he felt a tingling in his stomach area. Could someone so beautiful do such terrible things? But this was Seto Kaiba, he could destroy you with a single word - and Joey knew Seto didn’t need to say anything to push him down the abyss. And Joey wouldn’t be able to bear that.

Seto reached out to him, and the blond stiffened. He would keep these thoughts to himself for now, had to sort them out and wait for the next few days. He would analyse Seto carefully, he wanted to find out what this was. And then draw the consequences.

~~~~

Those golden-brown eyes were killing him. Seto had just woken up and already had an irrepressible urge to touch his puppy. Last night had been more than he had ever dared to dream. Yet he had never dreamed of... such a ‚relationship‘. He had been doing just fine on his own, and then the blond had come along and turned his whole world upside down. Every single pore ached for him and he could think of nothing else. He knew that when he was with him, everything was fine, and even if they had to keep up the facade in public - to protect them both - he felt they could just be themselves when they were together.

He saw the small scar on his puppy’s left nose wing and had to swallow his anger. The smaller one had already experienced so much bad in life, so he had to show him that he was safe with him. He reached out to touch Joey on the cheek - who flinched a little. What...

„Puppy, what’s wrong?“ he whispered to him gently. Had he done something wrong? Had he hurt him somehow last night after all? He looked Joey in the eye and could see exactly that he was fighting an inner battle right now. He just didn’t know against what.

„Good morning. It’s nothing, I was just in my mind and got startled.“ That was a lie, Seto realised at the very second. But why was he lying?

„Did I do something wrong, Joey? Did I hurt you?“ he spoke his thoughts out loud now. What was going on? Yesterday, and that night too, he had been so exuberant, and suddenly all joy, all life had disappeared from his face. The gleam from his eyes had given way to a dull brown.

The smaller man shook his head. „No, Seto, it’s really all right. I might just be a little tired.“ Joey touched Seto’s hand, still against his cheek, and immediately the heat was back. He wanted to pull him closer, but the blond kept his distance.

„Hey, I’ve got some stuff to do today,“ Joey said, pulling the covers off him and starting to get dressed. He made to leave when Seto got out of bed and hugged him from behind. „I don’t know what’s wrong, my puppy, but if you wanna talk, you know where to find me.“ He turned him around and looked into pained eyes. Had he done this to him? What on earth had happened? Joey pulled him down to give him a quick kiss on the mouth, it was just a hint of a touch. Then, he ran off and was gone only seconds later. What had just happened here?

He didn’t get to see him for the rest of the day either, except at dinner, where he was very busy engaging Mokuba in long conversations and thus keeping Seto at a distance. He didn’t know why Joey needed space or what had suddenly changed but he would give him time if that was what he wanted, even if it was incredibly difficult for him. His desire for him was growing with every passing second, and he didn’t even mean physical desire. He had never felt what he felt for this blond man in his entire life, never had such deep conversations as they had. He just wanted to be with him every minute of his life, even if he knew he couldn’t. That was why he hoped his puppy would take a step towards him again, but more importantly, explain what he had done wrong. He would do anything to iron it out if only he knew what it was.

The next day they went to school together, sitting in the car in silence. Seto didn’t want to pressure him, so he gave him the space he needed. Joey just looked out the window but Seto couldn’t take his eyes off him.

„Hey, Joey!“ Taylor called out to him as they got out of the car, and Seto was already more than annoyed by the ‚nerd herd‘ again. The brunet was confused and disgruntled, he really couldn’t have this stupid goofing around from the people Joey called his friends right now. At least it wasn’t hard for him to put on his usual expression now.

„What did you do on the rest of your birthday night?“ Yugi asked him in his typical youthful innocence, which made Joey’s face turn red as a tomato. Seto had to pull himself together enormously not to laugh out loud at the sight of him.

„Just sleeping, nothin‘ special,“ he heard the blond say. Even though Seto could absolutely understand why Joey said that, it was none of the stupid geek’s business at all - it gave him a pang. Maybe it really had been no big deal to Joey? Inwardly, he wished he had been kidding his friends, that it had been special for Joey - it certainly had for him. He had never been attracted to anyone, man or woman, and had always assumed he was asexual. And then Joey came along. All it took was the blink of an eye from him and he immediately fell for him.

With that, he left the nerds behind him and put on his usual impassive expression. Joey obviously wanted distance, and Seto didn’t feel he could do much about it right now. Even though he would like nothing better than to do just that.

~~~~

Joey tried to use the following days to bring order to his emotional chaos but he noticed that Seto was also withdrawing. Was this confirmation of his theory that this was all just a game to him? On the other hand, he saw his gazes, in the car next to him, at breakfast, in the school canteen. Still, he drew all his attention. Joey holed up behind work, putting in overtime at the cafe that he would never get paid for, or just walking around town in the evenings. But none of it helped even remotely. He just couldn’t figure Seto out. And he missed him, so much that it took his breath away.

It was a Tuesday evening in the middle of February and it had started snowing again. Joey was standing in the cafe serving some customers when he noticed the white flakes trickling from the sky, and it reminded him a lot of Christmas when he had stood at the window with Seto. His hands had felt so warm back then, and he could still remember clearly that he thought he smelled like oranges. Joey longed for that moment back when his heart beat so much faster. Why couldn’t it always be like this?

He needed him. It had been just under three weeks now since that night after which he had fled so abruptly, and how many words they had exchanged since then could be counted on two hands. But Joey could take no more. The more he tried to stay away, the more he had to think about him. There was something everywhere that reminded him of the brunet - be it just a smell. He had to talk to him but he didn’t know how. Could he risk it? After all, Seto could just deny everything and make him believe more tall tales. If they existed. Why was this all so damn complicated?!

He had to give it a try. He wouldn’t make it another day without him, he just had to hear his voice. He went into the kitchen and took out his phone. What should he be texting him? For minutes, he thought back and forth. He just couldn’t make up the right words.

He sighed. It wasn’t going to work out that way. He shouldn’t think so much about what words to choose, but he knew that if he typed a message now, he would change it again and again, and then again, probably ending up sending nothing at all. He pondered if Seto had felt the same way about his birthday letter.

On impulse, he pressed the green button next to Seto’s name and held the phone to his ear. With a pounding heart, he waited, and when he was already thinking that he was probably busy and wouldn’t answer, he heard his voice, and it felt like heavenly salvation. He had missed it so much.

„Joey?“

He signalled to a colleague that he would be away for a moment, then stepped outside the door and let the snow drizzle down on him before answering.

„Hey...“ That was all he could get out. He still didn’t know what to do, what to say. Why was this suddenly so complicated between them? It had always been kind of simple, even when all they had done all day was argue.

„I feel like I haven’t heard your voice in years,“ he heard Seto say on the other end, accurately echoing the thoughts Joey was having as well. „Where are you? Are you all right?“

„Yeah, I’m... I’m standing outside the cafe. Can we meet?“

„Of course, absolutely. I’m still at work and I’m afraid it’s going to be a rather long night. Do you mind coming over? I’ll let the front desk know to give you an ‚A‘ authorisation.“

„What’s that supposed to mean?“ asked Joey, confused.

„It means you won’t be turned away if you say you want to see me and you don’t have an appointment.“

„Ah, I see, and what authorisation gets one an appointment with you? And how many times does that require having sex with you?“ Joey had to chuckle. He had missed Seto’s voice so immensely, and hearing it now brought back all the feelings of happiness that had left him for the last three weeks, despite all the doubts he still had. No, there was no going back, he couldn’t just keep shutting himself off from him. If he was playing a game, he had to know it, and then he would manage to move away from him. But as long as there was the possibility that he could be serious, he wouldn’t be able to. Never.

On the other end of the line, he heard a low, diabolical laugh. „Wanna find out?“ Oh, he’d love to, and despite the freezing cold out here, Joey was getting hot at that moment. Only Seto had the power to put him off his stride with so few words that he was speechless.

„When can you be here, my puppy?“ asked Seto, his tone affectionate. He looked back at the cafe - he’d been scrubbing so much overtime for the past few weeks, if he wanted to leave early now, no one would blame him. „On my way.“ With those words, he hung up, went back into the cafe to let them know - as expected, no problem - and walked quickly towards KaibaCorp.

As he stood in front of the imposing glass building, he suddenly felt nervous. He had already received a photo of Seto from his office and could therefore guess that his office was at the top. Where else, after all, anything else would not do justice to the great Seto Kaiba. Arrogant rich boy. He had to laugh as he insulted him in his mind like old times. That, coupled with their reasonably funny conversation earlier on the phone, almost felt a bit like normality. Besides, he was his rich boy, and he hoped he wouldn’t find out anything today that would change that.

He entered the large entrance hall and was walking towards reception when suddenly a blonde woman approached him. „Mr Wheeler, good evening. Mr Kaiba is expecting you. I am one of his personal assistants, Miyako Watanabe. I’ll escort you upstairs.“

Joey was astonished. Seto had obviously prepared everything in no time - so much for that ominous A-authorisation, this looked more like the I-had-sex-with-Seto-Kaiba-authorisation to Joey. And he preferred not to ask how she actually knew what he looked like. She led him to a lift, also made of glass, and they went to the top floor. To get there, she had to hold her key card up to a sensor, and Joey could only assume that only selected people had access to his floor. Once upstairs, they walked down a long corridor until they stopped in front of a large wooden door. „Mr Kaiba had asked me to lead you straight to the door.“ At that moment, he heard a roar from the room. „Now, how many more times do you want me to explain it until you freaking get it!“ Ms Watanabe looked at him sympathetically, and with the words „Good luck“ she took her leave.

Joey didn’t know what to expect. Was Seto not alone? He hadn’t heard any other voice. So he was probably on the phone? Would he be angry if he entered the room now? But they had arranged it that way...

Joey was already incredibly annoyed with himself again. He let himself get far too caught up in his thoughts. But he was here to finally find clarity. So he gathered all his courage, knocked and entered.

The room was dark, the desk lamp the only source of light. He saw Seto resting his head on his elbow and shaking his head vigorously. Then, he noticed Joey, lifted his head a little and his gaze softened, only to become angry again immediately afterwards.

„Okay, I’m going to say this for the very last time. This is not the price we negotiated. Even you aren’t normally that slow on the uptake.“ Joey was really glad at that moment that he wasn’t being put through the wringer by Seto. At least not any more, came to think of it. The last sentence, in particular, was actually a classic, and Joey was amused that he was obviously not the only person in this universe to be approached like that by Seto.

He let his gaze wander around the room. The place looked almost exactly like Seto’s office at home, maybe a bit more modern, and the large glass front behind him offered a fantastic view over the city. The people on the floor were crawling around like little ants, and Joey knew he couldn’t work here without constantly being distracted by something. Well, he wouldn’t need a glass facade for that actually.

„Didn’t I tell you yesterday that you should have done this by today? Maybe I should find a new tech chief if you’re too incompetent to follow even the smallest instructions!“ Joey leaned sideways against the wall, arms folded in front of his body, watching Seto with a grin. He wasn’t paying any attention to him as he talked himself more and more into a frenzy, and Joey could see the vein on his neck pulsing.

„Oh, well, did anything work out that you can tell us about? No one needs detailed explanations of your stupid failures!“

He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something about the way Seto spoke fascinated Joey immensely. In general, his whole body language was so... dominant. Listening to him talk like that, Joey completely forgot what he was actually here for. All he could focus on were those passionate blue eyes, blazing with anger. Sexy as hell...

„Why are you interfering in this? You’re an intern, for fuck’s sake!“ The blond was still standing ten feet away from Seto, and yet the brunet’s heat could be felt throughout the room, probably even down the hall. Joey wanted to get closer to the fire, wanted to get burned and completely taken in. He walked over to him, and when he sat down on the desk in front of him, Seto looked up in amazement. He deliberately didn’t sit in front of the computer monitor, after all he didn’t want to be snapped at by Seto too. But he needed to be close to him and longed to see those eyes in full action.

Seto put a hand on his thigh, which Joey took and squeezed. The taller man just looked at him and rolled his eyes. „What do you mean he’s not available? Do you have any idea who you’re talking to right now?“

Oh, how Joey loved that tone of voice. He probably had to gape at him open-mouthed right now and was lucky if he didn’t have strings of drool running out of his mouth. But this was just so good, and he wanted more, wanted him to keep talking.

„Are you actually listening to yourself right now? That must sound ridiculous even to your ears. That plan was absolutely perfectly crafted, after all, the idea came from me personally.“

More, more... Joey couldn’t think of anything else. He took Seto’s hands - he was wearing a headset and therefore, fortunately, had both of them free - and pulled them up his legs a little more so that they came to a stop at his hip. No, that wasn’t enough. Joey stood up for a brief moment, only to drop his knees next to him on the thankfully very wide office chair and sit on his lap, his face now very close to Seto’s. The brunet placed a hand on Joey’s cheek and ran his finger over his lips, which immediately burned from the heat the touch left.

„You stupid... idiot...“ Seto spluttered as, no sooner had he continued speaking, Joey moaned into the ear that wasn’t covered by the headset - for only Seto’s right ear was covered by an ear pad, giving Joey free access to his left. Then, he took Joey’s chin in his hand and looked intensely into his eyes. God, those blue eyes were driving him crazy. Seto pressed some buttons on his headset, then said to Joey in a hot, husky voice, „Does this turn you on, puppy? When I talk like this?“ Seto’s soft smile on his lips tempted Joey to nibble on his lower lip. If he answered him, would he finally go on?

„Mhm... sounds like someone doesn’t know how to talk to you. After all, you’re Seto Kaiba... Don’t let them treat ya like that Seto... Finish them off...“ Joey pulled Seto into a passionate kiss, their heated tongues battling wildly for a moment, but then he broke away from him. He pressed the button Seto had just pushed on his headset, forcing him to keep talking - and Joey could see, and feel, how aroused that made the taller man. Judging by Seto’s grin, he would gladly grant Joey’s wish to finish off the people on the other end of the line.

~~~~

What was actually happening here right now? His puppy had come to talk, at least that’s what he had assumed until now, and now he was going to fuck him while he had to deal with absolutely incompetent staff once again. And he would let him. He hadn’t touched him for three weeks, barely spoken to him, and he needed him, wanted to feel him. And if he could give his puppy what he wanted and was rewarded with his hot touches, then it could only be a win-win situation.

„You listen to me very carefully! I don’t give a shit about your problems!“

Oh God, already he felt Joey’s tongue all over his neck. How long would he be able to keep this up without his conversation partners noticing? He tried to regain some composure, but then he looked into those golden eyes and was lost. Joey still had his coat on, which he frantically ripped off him and threw into the nearest corner. Fuck that thing, if it went bust he’d just buy him a new one. He had a zip-up jumper on, and that too was quickly gone, having to pull the zip slowly so as not to make too much noise, which obviously made Joey even more turned on. Seto was crazy about him, and he would show him now.

While his hands were at Joey’s waistband, he yelled into the phone - even louder than he usually did to get Joey even more aroused. „We’re not a charity organisation! If you can’t handle my money properly, you’re fired!“ He could see how hard Joey was trying not to moan too loudly, and thinking back to their first night together and the volume with which Joey had screamed his name over and over again, he could well imagine how much self-control that must be costing him now. Seto pulled his puppy’s T-shirt over his head and was finally able to touch his naked upper body again. In Joey’s gaze, he could read a request, a plea. He wanted more, and oh, Seto wanted it just as much.

Joey took Seto’s right hand and put each finger in his mouth one by one, licking them with pleasure, and Seto almost went mad with heat. But he had to keep going, he wanted to give his puppy everything he could.

„Is there actually anyone in this call with a little residual intelligence, or am I just talking to dry bread here?“ At that moment, he noticed a loud noise - Joey had simply ripped open Seto’s shirt so that all the buttons landed on the floor with a muffled sound. He couldn’t care less about anything right now. He would crawl home naked too if it meant he could give his greedy puppy satisfaction. As if possessed, Joey’s hands touched every part of his naked torso while he spread hot kisses on his neck and shoulders. He had to put his head back in his neck to keep from groaning out loud. Then, he felt Joey’s hands on his pants‘ button and he stopped, making him squirm. His gaze pointed to the headset. Seto muted it quickly by pressing a button.

„You want more, Joey? Tell me what you want me to do.“ He felt Joey’s hands start to shake slightly as he said this. He sat up a little, and as he undid the top button of Seto’s pants, he replied, looking him straight in the face, „Fuck me, Seto.“

It wasn’t a request, it was a command, and Joey’s obscene words made Seto even hotter than he already was - which was amazing since he thought there was no increase possible. Seto tried to get up, but Joey pushed him back into the chair. How crazy it was when he saw that they were both kind of dominant here - just in different ways. And as Joey continued to tamper with his pants, he whispered in his ear, „You want me to stop? You did stop, after all.“ Seto pulled him into a hot, passionate kiss before turning the headset back on.

„Which one of you morons actually had the glorious idea to sell the two product lines at the same time?“ Joey was in ecstasy, finally having undone all the buttons and the zip of his pants. Seto was impatient, his gaze pleading, but Joey had other plans. He was now fully up from the chair and Seto pushed the chair a little away from the table so Joey had room. He stood between Seto’s legs, and with pleasurable slowness, he undid the top button of his own pants. When Seto tried to help him, his hands were pushed away. Joey was going to provoke him to the extreme, and damn it, he was doing it so well...

Questioningly, the blond raised an eyebrow. Oh no, he couldn’t stop, he wanted to see everything of him. He had to keep talking. Thank God he was so able to multitask, as he didn’t want to be added to the long list of the most incompetent employees of the month.

„Why aren’t the goods here yet? I had clearly stated I wanted them here until yesterday, and still, nothing’s arrived to date. What the hell am I paying you so princely for anyway?“ Seto had to bite his lower lip as Joey undid the last buttons and then slowly unzipped. His head was spinning, this man in front of him was just pure sex. He swore to himself that it would never be three weeks again, he wouldn’t be able to take be without him for so long, not after this.

He wanted to touch him and formed a ‚please!“ with his lips, and this time, Joey let him. Seto’s eyes flickered as he pulled down his puppy’s pants and the boxers right along with them. Now here he was, naked as God made him, and he would never want him any other way. Again, Joey was embarrassed to be standing in front of him so exposed. No, he couldn’t let that go without comment. He turned off the mic for a moment before saying, „Don’t, Joey. You’re so hot, you’re killing me. Come here.“ Now it was him who was nibbling Joey’s lower lip, touching him all over, taking his erection in his hand and massaging it gently. Joey knew the mic was off, so he allowed himself to moan a little louder. Then, the blond turned it back on for him. Damn, he was so insatiable... and that was wonderful.

While he was thinking about the next nasty words, Joey couldn’t be quick enough to remove his pants and boxers. Seto was naked sooner than expected and the blond crawled back onto his lap. After this night, he would probably have to get some lube for the office. That he would ever say a sentence like that...

Joey seemed quite aware of that fact too, so he took Seto’s middle finger and gleefully wet it with his saliva, of which he seemed to be producing plenty right now, while he waited for Seto to keep it up. Joey’s face was so close to his.

„I just wanna work with professionals here for once! Why don’t I have the papers on my desk yet? Does anyone here ever think?“

Joey couldn’t wait any longer. He guided Seto’s hand to his entrance and let the first finger slide in, followed a short time later by fingers number two and three. No pain, only absolute pleasure radiated from his face. And Seto couldn’t wait any longer either. He went for the dagger thrust. With his free hand, he pulled Joey’s chin so that he had to look him straight in the eye. Then he said, in an absolutely cool and controlled tone, „You’re all fired.“ He ended the call and finally pulled his puppy close to him, who immediately started whimpering loudly.

„Aah... Seto...“

„That’s it, puppy, say my name. Come on, again!“

„Se...to...ah!“ He withdrew his fingers from Joey and finally penetrated him fully. He waited to see if that was okay without lube but Joey didn’t seem bothered by it at all. He started moving immediately, and he had the feeling that he wasn’t the only one in the room for whom three weeks of abstinence was clearly too much.

They moved together intimately, Joey’s moans getting louder and louder at his ear, interrupted again and again by loud calls of his name. Then, Seto took his puppy from his lap and turned him around so that his back was now to him. He put a hand around his erection and massaged it with quick but controlled movements while whispering in his ear, „Where, Joey, where do you want me to take you?“

The blond looked around the room for a second but then just leaned forward so that he was now lying down on the desk. So now his nickname ‚puppy‘ took on a whole other meaning after all - and Seto loved it, loved everything about this situation. He put his hands on Joey’s butt and gently penetrated him again, eliciting another whimper from the blond.

Joey held onto the front edge of the desk as Seto’s thrusts grew harder, more demanding. He could feel Joey clenching, and he too would be ready in a moment. Joey propped himself up, stood on his tiptoes and pressed his back against Seto’s body, not needing Seto to slow down. The brunet put his hand around Joey’s erection again and nibbled on his ear. „Come for me, my puppy.“ And just moments later Joey came in his hand as he exploded inside his puppy.

As the trembling gradually subsided and they both regained some possession of their own senses, they slowly disengaged from each other. Seto turned Joey around and kissed him tenderly. As he broke away, he said, „There’s a bathroom back there.“ Joey looked at him totally dumbfounded. „You have your own bathroom? In your office?“

Seto had to laugh. „Didn’t you say yourself earlier that I’m the great Seto Kaiba or something? And here you are wondering about me having a bathroom here?“

Joey had disappeared so fast after his words that it made him laugh again. With him, he was so liberated and worried less about all the other crap. He was just happy. Endlessly and unconditionally happy.

~~~~

Joey came out of the bathroom and hastily put on his clothes. That was definitely _not_ what he had come here for, but he couldn’t help himself. He was just magically attracted to Seto. He was like a moth, and Seto was the light.

When the brunet also returned from the bathroom, Joey asked shyly, „Did... did anyone hear us? I also forgot to lock the door.“ Seto laughed out loud, then gathered his clothes, got dressed - leaving his shirt open as he didn’t have any other choice - and checked his computer.

„Don’t worry, Ms Watanabe took you upstairs and went straight back down afterwards. There was no one else here after that. She’s also the only one with a card up here, besides me of course, and I saw earlier that she used her card again to go down. See, I then get a pop-up like this on my laptop. I wasn’t worried about that.“

Joey exhaled in relief. He looked up at Seto and was immediately lost in his eyes and his incredible smile. But he still had to talk to him, he just had to.

But before he could start, Seto apparently smelled a rat. „I suppose you actually wanted to see me about something else? Or did you miss me that much?“ That smug grin gave him the courage to speak frankly. „Both, actually,“ Joey laughed. „But there’s a lot I wanted to talk to you about. I... have been thinking...“

Seto put on a serious expression. He leaned his bottom against the desk and now pulled Joey closer to him. Then he brushed a strand of hair out of his forehead and said, „Talk to me, my puppy. You can’t imagine how hard it was to keep me away from you for so long. But I realised that you needed the distance. I just don’t know why. Did I do something wrong?“

Joey couldn’t meet his gaze. He lowered his head, took a deep breath and then just said, without thinking much, what was on his mind for longer than he could bear.

„No, or maybe yes? I honestly don’t know, Seto. I’m scared. Afraid that this is all for show because of this stupid deal. That everything I feel is part of some fucked up plan to just destroy me in the end.“

Seto lifted his chin again and Joey could see how shocked he was. Honestly shocked. No, he wasn’t playing this, this was authentic, he could see that clearly in his eyes. „Joey, what... what makes you think that? Do you have any idea how important you are to me? Do you know how I’ve suffered the last three weeks because you weren’t really with me? I was so afraid that I’d hurt you that night, that I’d done something wrong and you’d run away. You’re right, this deal _is_ stupid. Because I want to see you happy without some formalized framework. When you smile, the sun literally comes up. And I want to see that, always, everywhere. God, Joey, I may have been the idiot who didn’t see you three months ago, but I see you now, and I’m not letting you go again.“

Tears streamed down Joey’s face. He couldn’t believe he would ever hear him, Seto Kaiba, say something like that. Could he please get that all in writing?

He wiped a few tears from his cheeks, which were immediately replaced by new ones. „But in public, you’re so... distant. I don’t know, that doesn’t really bother me. Somehow, I think it’s nice to have this side all to myself, too, but... I thought you put on this mask in public, for protection or something, and when we’re alone, you’re... like that. Well, like you are right now. How can I believe you that this isn’t just a new mask you made and now you always put on?“

„Wait a minute,“ Seto began, frowning. „Is that why you’ve been avoiding me for the past three weeks? Because you think I’ve put on some fucking facade that I’m just going to put on at the drop of a hat when we’re together?“ Joey could see that the taller one was a little upset. Joey nodded hesitantly and Seto eased away from him, going behind his desk and looking out the glass front for a moment. He sighed, and Joey was afraid he had broken something between them now.

„You don’t trust me,“ Seto said, still looking out into the city at night, and Joey could hear exactly how hurt he was. He couldn’t stand it, he had to look him in the eye. With quick steps, he went to him and pushed himself between him and the glass so that they were now very close again.

„Yes, yes I do! I... I don’t know either. You’ve never actually given me any reason to doubt, but somehow... I don’t know, I’m just so scared that this isn’t real, that I’ll end up getting hurt. Damn it, Seto, I’m just so incredibly confused, maybe I just don’t trust my own feelings. Or maybe they just scare me. I’ve never felt anything like this before, and then with you... I don’t know if it all makes any sense.“

Then Seto lifted his chin, and he looked deep into his eyes. He looked at him so sensually, so full of passion and tenderness, when he said, „Then tell me about your feelings. And I’ll tell you if you can trust them.“

Joey had to swallow. How the hell was he supposed to describe this in words? Were there even the right words for this? Would any of them even do it justice? But when Seto looked at him like that, he just had to try.

„I don’t know, it’s... sometimes you just look at me and I feel hot, and then other times I feel hot and cold at the same time. Or I get goosebumps when I feel your gaze at my back. When I look into your eyes, I just can’t take my eyes off you, no matter how hard I try. And when you touch me, then... then I get all dizzy and have the feeling that I’m about to faint. All you have to do is walk into the room. Oh man, that New Year’s Eve when you came through the door so dramatically... I felt like I was going to faint. I...“ Joey couldn’t say any more because Seto engaged him in a tender kiss. And there it was again, that tummy tingle he never got rid of when he was with him, it only got extra intense when they kissed. Seto’s tongue begged for entrance and Joey opened his lips slightly. Their tongues weren’t fighting as demanding as they had been earlier, it was more of a gentle caress, like an ever-changing embrace. When they released the kiss again, Joey added, „And when you kiss me, I can’t think of anything else. Only you, always you.“

Seto’s eyes were a storm of different shades of blue. Joey had fallen for him completely, trying to escape him was utterly futile.

„My puppy...“ he whispered tenderly but did not stop looking at him so intently. Then Joey continued to speak. „I mean, is it normal for me to feel like this, Seto? Is it supposed to be like this? It’s so intense I’m afraid I’m going to burst.“

Seto stroked his cheek tenderly, then said, „I don’t know if it’s normal. But it all sounds exactly like what I feel. I can’t even tell you if it would be normal because I’ve never felt that way either. The only person I’ve ever felt anything for was Mokuba. But with you, it’s just so...“ Joey knew Seto wouldn’t find the right words. And neither would Joey. „I just don’t know how to make you believe me. That I’m not doing this because we have this deal, but because I want to. Hell, even if I didn’t want to, I couldn’t fight it. What can I do, Joey?“

Joey had scattered tears running down his cheeks again. He was just so touched by what Seto had just told him, and he knew it had taken enormous effort on his part. He just had to believe him, there was no other way. He was just so overwhelmed by his dragon that there was no other option but to trust him completely.

„Nothing, Seto, nothing at all. I believe you. I’m sorry I was foolish enough to doubt it. Just don’t hurt me, okay?“

„Never, my puppy. You know, you said earlier that I had this facade, in public. But that’s me too. It’s important to me, for one thing, because I just want to be a certain personality here at the company.“ And suddenly, a conspiratorial smile settled on Seto’s lips, before he resumed. „And it didn’t look to me earlier like you had much against it in principle either.“

Joey blushed slightly and had to lower his head in embarrassment. Seto laughed softly, then started talking again. „And secondly, I do it for protection. Every emotional movement is a ready-made meal for the press, and I don’t fancy having to read through any dirt on me in the muckraking press all the time. I’d rather read about my company and its successes in the serious press.“

Joey nodded and looked at him again. „Yes, I understand that.“ For a brief moment, neither of them said anything. Joey also had to collect his thoughts for a split second before he asked, „So where do we go from here? What are we going to do now? I mean, how do we deal with each other? I definitely don’t want to be separated from you again for three weeks, if it was up to me, not even for a second.“

Joey could see Seto’s warm smile and was instantly under his spell again. „So, in public, everything stays the same. That’s just for the best, Joey, also to protect you. Can you imagine what would happen if the press found out I was in a relationship? They’d be all over you like vultures. And... Joey, are you okay?“

Joey stared at him with his eyes wide open, his jaw dropping. „A... a relationship?“ Obviously, Seto hadn’t really thought this through before speaking up, and looked shocked too, though perhaps a little milder than Joey. At least he regained his composure more quickly. „I don’t really care what we call it. Honestly, I really just wanna be with you. And it’s not like I know much about relationships either. Except maybe with my brother, but I had to be a father to him a lot, too, so that’s not exactly a prime example either.“

By now, Joey’s stomach was on fire, apparently, the butterflies were having a big party. „I actually quite like the term...“ said Joey sheepishly. Seto’s smile became even broader and Joey could see the warmth in his eyes intensify even more now. „Me too, my puppy. And at some point, I’m sure we can make it public, but it’s going to take a tightly worked plan. And probably a dozen more security guards, at least.“ They both had to laugh, and the endorphins in Joey’s body put in some overtime.

Once again, Seto gently stroked his cheek and asked, „Are you okay with this?“ Joey nodded with a smile. „It is, on one condition.“ Astonishment flashed in Seto’s eyes. „And what would that be?“ Joey’s smile turned into a grin. „I want to be with you at night. Even if you work late, or if I get off work late. I wanna be with you. Deal?“

He instantly hugged Joey and whispered in his ear, „Deal.“

And after a few moments - or was it hours? - Seto added, „Except when I’m away on business because then I’m not home. Now don’t give me that sheepish look, didn’t you once write something like I was the CEO out of us two or something?“ And then they both had to laugh again. But they were happy. And there was nothing that could have changed that.


	12. Rescue me... from Mokuba

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> You Make It Real - James Morrison
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/1Yw6ViCo3tuufI0Hg4mzSU  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRxccy-zcJ8
> 
> Joey‘s POV:
> 
> There’s so much craziness surrounding me  
> So much going on, it gets hard to breathe  
> When all my faith has gone, you bring it back to me  
> You make it real for me
> 
> When I’m not sure of my priorities  
> When I’ve lost sight of where I’m meant to be  
> Like holy water washing over me  
> You make it real for me
> 
> And I’m running to you baby  
> You are the only one who saves me
> 
> Seto‘s POV:
> 
> When my head is strong but my heart is weak  
> I’m full of arrogance and uncertainty  
> When I can’t find the words  
> You teach my heart to speak  
> You make it real for me, yeah
> 
> And I’m running to you baby  
> Cause you are the only one who saves me
> 
> Both:
> 
> I guess there’s so much more I have to learn  
> But if you’re here with me, I know which way to turn  
> You always give me somewhere, somewhere I can run  
> You make it real for me
> 
> And I’m running to you baby  
> Cause you are the only one who saves me
> 
> ~~~~

„How long do ya still need to work? Come to bed already, Seto.“ Joey hugged his dragon from behind and kissed him tenderly on the neck. Seto had said two hours ago that he just quickly wanted to finish something, and he had been sitting there at the desk in his bedroom ever since. It was only supposed to be a short time, so he hadn’t been going into his home office - well, so much for that.

As they had agreed, they spent every night together - sometimes in Joey’s, sometimes in Seto’s apartment. They made sure, of course, that no one saw them or heard anything about their arrangement, but they had always made it work the whole two weeks since they had decided this, even if it got very late or eventually only meant that they could sleep next to each other.

Joey looked at the clock on Seto’s laptop - it was already past midnight and they had school again tomorrow so they had to get up early. Besides, he was getting impatient, he had been waiting for him in Seto’s bed for hours now, and even though he still found it totally fascinating to watch the brunet at work, he wanted his attention entirely to himself. Which he couldn’t really complain about generally speaking - even in public, Seto would never let him out of sight. Of course, the taller one tried to hide it as best he could, but Joey could always see it quite clearly. The furtive glances, the supposedly unintentional, fleeting touches of their hands as they passed each other in the school hallway... no one even suspected anything going on between them, and somehow Joey enjoyed their secret, even if he sometimes wished he could touch him more, see him smile.

Seto turned to him with a sigh and pulled Joey towards him so that he was now sitting on his lap. Immediately, the blond put his arms around Seto’s neck and pulled him into a tender kiss. When they broke away again, Seto said, „I know, my puppy, I didn’t expect this to go on for so long now. Honestly, I definitely need a new Head of HR, the current one really hires the biggest fools in all of Japan.“ Joey couldn’t help but laugh slightly and then whispered in his ear, „Let me be there when you fire him.“ Seto grinned. „Are you sure that’s what you want? I don’t know how great he’d think it was if I fired him and then you threw yourself at me right away.“

„Hm, okay, think ya got a point here. At least videotape it so I can watch it with you and then seduce you afterwards.“ Seto pulled Joey into a kiss again, a little more demanding this time, and Joey could clearly feel the passion and heat rising inside him. Seto broke away from him, brushing his hair out of his forehead a little before saying in a soft voice, „Ten minutes, okay?“ Joey rested his head on Seto’s shoulder for a tiny moment, enjoying the closeness and soaking in all his scent. „But not a minute longer.“ Then he went back to bed, and sure enough, Seto joined him exactly ten minutes later. He was wearing a white T-shirt again, which Joey loved because it somehow made Seto softer, more approachable. Although actually everything looked good on him, just different - his shirts and long coats were sexy and expressions of the brunet’s strength, but when Seto laid with him like that, with a normal white T-shirt, he was just incredibly sweet and just his Seto, and Joey knew this was a part of his dragon that only he and no one else ever got to see. Joey pulled Seto to him, and as they laid there so tightly entwined in bed, Joey was finally able to drift peacefully off to sleep. It just wasn’t the same without Seto, and Joey marvelled every day at how used to it he had already become.

The next day, as usual, they went to school together. By now, it had become a habit for Seto to raise the window to the driver of the limousine so that they could savour their togetherness to the last minute. And before they got out, they kissed tenderly once more because as soon as they were both out of the car, Seto put on that inscrutable Kaiba expression. Joey always was amazed at how he could keep himself so much under control. The blond himself found it a little more difficult, but fortunately, he had his friends, whom he immediately greeted with a beaming smile and could thus distract himself a little. But he could clearly feel Seto’s eyes at his back as they all made their way into the school building together.

At lunchtime, in the canteen, they talked about how incredibly stupid they thought their maths teacher was, while Seto, of course, sat at his lonely table at the other end of the room as usual. Joey’s eyes drifted from the group to his dragon, who was watching him as a matter of course. Joey’s eyes softened and he just couldn’t take his eyes off him. He was drawn to him like a magnet. He could only avert his gaze when he noticed his mobile vibrating in his pocket. When he saw who the message was from, he had to grin.

‚Self-control, my puppy. Even though I know how stunningly good-looking I am, of course.‘

Joey smirked and thought about how he could answer. He was already longing for Seto so much in everyday life anyway that he really wanted to keep the conversation going. Maybe this would actually be a good way for both of them to still somehow be together when they were surrounded by other people. Joey would give it a try and hoped to be able to satisfy his desire for closeness at least somewhat in this way.

‚Says the one who keeps piercing me with his glances? Although I can’t blame you, if I were you I’d stare at me all the time too ;-) ‘

Joey unobtrusively raised his head to see Seto’s reaction, but the latter’s expression remained neutral. Damn, how could the taller one be so in control? Joey’s heart skipped a beat as he already had a new message from him on his phone.

‚Touché. Although at least I’ve got my gaze a bit better under control. But you’re right, it’s hard not to look at you...‘

He looked up briefly at his friends, Tristan still upset about his poor maths grade and no one paying any attention to Joey. Then he took a deep breath and composed a new message to Seto.

‚Likewise, I would so love to come over to you and look into those beautiful eyes. And kiss you. And touch you. And be touched by you. All over.‘

The thought of being close to him now gave Joey goosebumps all over. And he wondered if the brunet was feeling the same way right now.

‚Joey... then just imagine you would be here with me. Imagine me gently touching your cheek. My lips touch yours, the tips of our noses brush against each other. I pull you onto my lap like I did last night...‘

In which direction did this conversation develop all of a sudden? Joey didn’t know, but he thought it was wonderful. They had only just started texting and he was already hooked.

‚Seto... I return the kiss, leaning in close to you. Hug your neck and yet pull you even closer. And then I undo the first button of your shirt, which is beautiful by the way... just like you...‘

Joey’s heart pounded heavily in his chest. Had he gone too far with this? While he waited for an answer, he tried to distract himself and join in the conversation of his friends, but he had not been listening at all and no longer had any idea what it was actually about now. So he just pretended to listen intently to the conversation and then nodded vigorously at times to emphasise he is listening, when in fact he wasn’t. The vibration of his phone, however, pulled him back into the whirlpool of thoughts he had just tried in vain to break out of.

‚My right hand slips under your T-shirt and strokes your back, then your belly. The thumb of my left hand grazes your lips and I want to elicit that sigh I’m so addicted to...‘

Joey’s breathing quickened and he had to be careful not to actually groan. This dragon was getting to him.

‚I’m undoing more buttons on your shirt until it’s finally completely undone and I can slide it over your shoulders. Then I kiss your neck and work my way to your ear...‘

‚Oh, God, Joey, I’m afraid we need to stop right here. I won’t be able to get up otherwise. Do you have to work tonight?‘

Joey could very well understand the train of thought, he was feeling the same way. He didn’t want to stop, but he knew he had to. This secrecy thing was going to prove even harder than he had thought... He had tasted blood, and when the opportunity arose, he would message him again. Whatever conversation would develop, hot or not, it didn’t really matter, as long as he felt he could talk to him, that was enough. At least for now, for everyday life. What happened behind closed doors at night was a completely different story though....

‚I’m afraid I have to agree, as hard as it is for me. I don’t have to work today, and you better be home tonight, too, at a time when I don’t look like a zombie yet!‘

Joey had to grin at himself. He wasn’t usually the one giving the orders around, but he just couldn’t help himself.

‚Of course, I want to know what happens next, after all...‘

The school bell rang, heralding the end of the lunch break. Joey, who still couldn’t get rid of the grin, rose and went into the classroom with his friends.

The next few days were actually always the same, with the only difference now being that they sent messages back and forth incessantly whenever anyone was around. They were obsessed with getting more and more from each other, with being together every second, even if they weren’t or couldn’t be.

By now, it had become a habit even at the breakfast table. They were so absorbed that hardly any real conversations took place. They typed nonstop into their devices and waited in anticipation to finally receive an answer again.

This had not escaped Mokuba’s notice, and he had tried again and again to start any conversations in the last few days but had only moderate success. That morning, too, he tried his luck again.

„Hey, Seto, who are you texting?“

Seto barely looked up from his phone and replied dryly, „It’s for work, Mokuba.“

Now, Joey raised his head too, noticing the frown on Mokuba’s face as he looked back and forth between Joey and Seto. He looked disgruntled, angry somehow. Then Joey’s mobile vibrated again, so he gave all his attention once more to the message reviewing their last night.

Suddenly, Mokuba stood up briskly, and as he rushed out of the room like that, his angry footsteps could still be heard in the corridor. He left behind two very confused men who could not really make sense of it at that moment.

Joey couldn’t let go of the morning’s incident all day at school. What had happened? Had Mokuba perhaps just slept badly? Was he in trouble with someone? Had he had a fight with his brother and Seto just hadn’t told Joey? Joey thought the latter was actually unlikely; Mokuba and Seto always seemed like one heart and soul, as if they had merged into one. He had never really seen them fight.

Even in the evening, Joey was still thinking a lot as he made his way to Seto’s apartment. Maybe he should talk to the brunet about it, maybe he could make sense of it by now. Joey pulled his key card through the slot of Seto’s apartment - Seto had unlocked it in the meantime - and as he opened the door, he suddenly heard a noise. He turned around again, looked in all directions, but - nothing. The hallway was dark and seemed deserted. Had he heard wrong? Shrugging his shoulders, he entered the apartment, where he found Seto sitting on the sofa, obviously eagerly waiting for his puppy.

Joey joined him and gave him a fleeting kiss on the mouth.

„Hey, what’s up, puppy? I can tell you’re thinking about something. You’ve been so absent-minded all day. Did anything happen?“

Joey laid back on the couch and rested his head in Seto’s lap, who immediately stroked his hair gently. „I don’t know either, I’m worried about what that was with Mokuba this morning. D’ya have any idea what’s going on?“

„Not really,“ Seto explained. „Do you have a theory?“

Suddenly, an idea struck the blond. „Do you think he might suspect something? I mean, he’s your brother, he knows you like the back of his hand. Wouldn’t he notice if something was different? It’s not like there haven’t been enough signs of it in the last few months...“

Seto was lost in thought for a brief moment. „Possibly. I haven’t told him, but he has a pretty good sense for when moods change.“

Joey reached out a hand to touch his dragon’s face and stroke his cheek gently. „Do ya think we should tell him?“

Seto took Joey’s hand and kissed the back of it before saying, „I’m not sure, puppy. Don’t you think we should wait a little longer? I trust Mokuba, it’s not that, I just don’t know.... “

„When the right time is?“ Joey completed his sentence. Seto nodded, and the blond could relate. Knowing Seto, he would want to make a very detailed plan to control the situation as much as possible, even if - or maybe especially because - it involved his own brother. Lost in thought, they both went to bed and pondered a lot that night about what they should do.

The next morning was the last Saturday in February. March was just around the corner and Joey was looking forward to leaving the cold weather of winter behind soon and couldn’t wait for spring to open its doors. Even though the winter had been beautiful, he preferred the warmth. It was quiet in the dining room, Mokuba put on a neutral expression just like his brother. Joey wondered if he was aware of how much he resembled Seto right now.

Joey composed a message to Seto.

‚Honestly, there’s something about Mokuba. He doesn’t usually seem so serious.‘

He saw Seto pick up his phone and immediately send a reply.

‚I agree, something’s up. What should we do?‘

But just as Joey was about to text back in response, Mokuba took this difficult question from them both.

„Why don’t you guys tell me what’s going on between you already?“ Mokuba had stood up and was propping both arms on the table. He was alternately looking back and forth between Seto and Joey, and there was no mistaking how upset he was, even shaking a little. Joey looked at Seto who looked back at him, but both were hopelessly overwhelmed by the situation.

„Come on, do you think I’m stupid or something? I can see you guys are obviously texting each other all the time. Besides, I saw Joey go into your apartment yesterday, Seto. With his own key card.“

Damn, so that was the sound, so he hadn’t been wrong. He was very annoyed at having been so careless after all, but he had been so broody about the morning’s events that he probably hadn’t paid much attention. Plus, it had been after 10 pm, the staff had been out for a long time at that hour, and Joey felt safe. Too safe, apparently.

„Joey, I don’t blame you at all, but Seto, you not telling me anything, that disappoints me. I’m your brother and we always tell each other everything. Really everything! I don’t understand what I did wrong that you suddenly don’t do that anymore.“

Joey saw tears welling up in the boy’s eyes. „Mokuba...“ he said and wanted to get up and go over to him, to comfort him somehow, but Mokuba immediately blocked. „It’s just so unfair, Seto. I want my brother back.“

Mokuba moved away from the breakfast table and walked out crying. With a sigh, Joey sat back down and the room was silent for a moment. The two men now had to let the whole thing sink in. But then, Joey took the floor again. „Okay, so he obviously did suspect what was going on.“

Seto just nodded, looking at Joey, confusion written all over his face. „I just don’t understand why he’s getting so worked up about it now. I mean, sure, I didn’t let him in on it, but that doesn’t mean I never would have.“

„Well,“ Joey replied, „I can kinda understand. The bond between you two is very strong, and I do think you’ve always told each other everything. Now, he might just feel left out and possibly feel you’re distancing yourselves from each other. Also - he’s 13 years old, and when I think about what I was like at 13, this was nothing.“ This made both Seto and Joey smile a little.

„Maybe I should talk to him?“ asked Seto, but Joey replied, shaking his head, „Let me do that. He seems angrier at you than at me, so maybe it’s easier for me to get through to him. But we have to put our cards on the table, it would be unfair to lie to him now. Besides, he’s your brother, we can totally trust him because I know he would never do anything to hurt you or that would put you in danger.“

Seto nodded in agreement. „Can I at least be there when you talk to him?“

„Yeah, but please keep a low profile. No matter what happens, okay? Good, where could he have gone?“

„Probably to his own apartment. It’s on the second floor.“

They nodded to each other and went on their way.

Arriving outside the apartment, Seto took out his key card and swiped it through the slot. Joey opened the door a crack, but then turned to Seto again for a moment and said, „You stay in the background while I talk to him, ’kay?“ Seto agreed again and they entered the room.

They found Mokuba sitting on the sofa, playing a video game on his console and still looking pretty pissed. His apartment was about the same size as Joey’s, but much more lovingly and personally decorated. There were posters everywhere, photos with his friends, and also many, many pictures with Seto in them. Joey had a great desire to look at them all more closely, it seemed as if there were both older and newer pictures of the two of them. But today, he was here on another mission, which he now had to concentrate on fully.

Joey didn’t quite know how to begin. Seto closed the door behind them and leaned back against the wall, keeping a little distance. Joey took a deep breath and took a step towards the younger Kaiba brother.

„Hey, Mokuba, whatcha playing?“

He just shrugged his shoulders and replied without looking at Joey, „Something, whatever.“ Sighing, Joey sat down next to Mokuba and watched him play for a few minutes. Then he spoke up again. „Do you wanna talk about what you just said?“

Mokuba finally looked up, but past Joey, and sent a nasty look in his brother’s direction. Well, the talent of destroying others with a single glance apparently ran in the family. That thought made Joey smile a little. Then he said, „Seto, can you leave us alone for a moment?“

Joey saw how the thought of this repulsed the brunet, but he nodded curtly and went into Mokuba’s bedroom. He didn’t close the door, though, so he could still overhear their conversation. Nevertheless, Mokuba seemed to relax a little now, even though it hadn’t escaped him that the bedroom door was still slightly open. He put the controller on the table and sat cross-legged on the sofa. His hands played nervously with each other and he looked at them sadly before saying, „Don’t you dare tell me any lies now. You better leave right away in that case.“

That made Joey’s heart skip a beat. He hadn’t realised how much the little one had grown on him over the last few months. And if truth be told, Seto and Joey might not even be where they were today if it hadn’t been for Mokuba. He had really started the ball rolling, after all, with his ideas and parties and his passionate love for Christmas. He owed it to him to be completely open and honest now.

Joey sat down cross-legged as well but facing Mokuba to signal complete openness. „I promise, Mokuba, no lies. Whatcha wanna know?“

Mokuba seemed to think for a moment, then asked shyly, „What is this between you?“

Joey now took a second to reflect on this question too. „Honestly, Mokuba, it’s very hard to explain. And it’s not because we don’t know what we feel, it’s simply because neither of us has ever experienced anything like this. But if that answers your question: We’re together.“

Joey’s honesty seemed to bring the little one out of his shell, for now he too turned to the blond and mirrored his sitting position. Joey waited, wanting to answer any questions younger Kaiba had.

„Since when?“ asked Mokuba curiously.

„Oh man, I feel like I’m going to start every sentence now with the words, ‚This is very hard to explain‘.“ Joey snickered briefly, and he could also make out a wry grin on Mokuba’s face. „Okay, but seriously now. We made it official two or three weeks ago. And if ya think it was my doing, I have to disappoint ya - your brother brought up the word ‚relationship‘ the first time.“ Joey had to grin as he read Mokuba’s astonishment on his face. Chuckling, however, Joey admitted, „Not that it bothered me. Honestly, it was obvious already before that, we just hadn’t found an official label for it yet.“

„So how did that start? And when did you know it was more?“ Wow, the kid really wanted to know everything, huh? But hey, Joey had promised not to lie, and other than the fact that they were having wild, uninhibited sex, he would tell him everything too. He could hardly imagine that the kid was really interested in his brother’s dirty bedtime stories anyway. The thought of it gave him a pleasant shiver. He really needed to get it together now!

„Well, let’s put it this way, you weren’t entirely innocent in this. Oh c’mon, now don’t look at me as if you didn’t know you’d driven us into each other’s arms with your trip ideas and parties and everything.“ Joey had to laugh when he saw Mokuba blush a little. He already had the feeling that Mokuba was very mature for his age - definitely more mature than he himself was at 13 - but the childish naivety was obviously still there. And that was just as it was supposed to be. Seto had sacrificed his childhood so that Mokuba could have it, and again he felt warm at the thought of how much Seto had given up for Mokuba.

„I’d say it had really started back when we were at the seaside together. Did Seto ever tell you anything about what happened on that trip?“ The smaller one just shook his head, so Joey continued. „All we did was talk, actually. About what I was like, growing up, and he told me about your childhood, and about Gozaburo.“ Mokuba’s eyes widened. „He told you about that?“

Joey nodded. „I was as astonished as you, believe me. But I was also surprised by myself. I told him things that no one else knows about me, not even Yugi or Serenity, not even my mum. Not until today. I felt like he got to know me better that one day than anyone else ever had. And I think that’s what bonded us.“

Mokuba still had surprise written all over his face. And Joey was desperate to tell him how much Mokuba meant to Seto. „He loves you very much, y‘know. I only realised that then. You weren’t even present, but his whole aura, everything he said, was so full of feelings for you that it left no doubt.“ Mokuba’s tears came sporadically, but he gestured for Joey to continue.

„And then there were lots of little moments, whenever we were unobserved. Or thought we were - back in Kaiba-Land, you’d seen us standing close to each other, but I don’t even know if you read that much into it. Can you even remember that?“

„Sure I can. That was a really nice day, I won’t ever forget that!“ Mokuba had finally found his laughter again, which made Joey all the happier. And seeing him laugh like that, the resemblance to his big brother was again unmistakably obvious. Mokuba resumed, „I did see you and also noticed how Seto kept looking for you all the time. But to be honest, I didn’t really think anything of it. I think I was just so distracted by all the hustle and bustle at the Christmas market.“

„I can understand that, it was really amazing there! Maybe we’ll do it again sometime? Just you and me, two buddies having a great day together?“ Immediately, Mokuba replied, beaming with joy, „That would be so cool, Joey!“ Smiling, the blond nodded at him.

„And did you have any moments like that at Christmas? I was really surprised when Seto flew your family in.“

„Mhm, I think, looking back, that was the moment that changed everything. Y‘know, in my whole life, no one has ever given me a gift that meant so much to me. And I idiot gave him a keychain from the Christmas market. Can you imagine how stupid I felt?“ They both burst out laughing. „That was a very special evening. And then that helicopter ride between Christmas and New Year? That still makes me speechless, honestly. It was just... beautiful, I can’t describe it any other way.“

Joey was lost in thought for a moment, suddenly taken over by memories and reviewing everything that had happened in those few weeks before the New Year. Absent-minded, he resumed, „And then came New Year’s Eve. And I knew I was lost. I think that was the first time I was really aware of it because I had tried to just ignore it. Do you remember when you came into the stairwell with my friends and saw us there? You interrupted us during our first kiss.“

Mokuba slapped his hands in front of his mouth. „Joey, I’m so sorry about that, really, if I had known, I would have...“ But Joey interrupted him as he raised his hands defensively. „Don’t worry, Mokuba. It was really nice that way too. Well, I think that was really our beginning then. That was quite a long answer, I know, but you wanted to know everything, and now you do. After that, there were some other nice moments, the piano concert, for example, that was just great, and there we are back to how much influence you had on the whole thing.“ He faltered for a moment, then looked at the younger one again, frowning, and asked, „But tell me, Mokuba, why didn’t you suspect something earlier? At least from my point of view, there were enough signs in the last weeks and months. I mean, hello, you caught us almost kissing on Christmas Eve, only you got in there early enough before we actually did.“ Joey had to laugh again when he saw Mokuba’s shocked face.

„Yeah, that’s true, and I did think there was something going on. But then there were weeks when you were so distant that I thought I had imagined it or read too much into it. You said the same thing on Christmas Eve too. It’s only in the last few weeks that I’ve noticed that something has changed, that you’ve changed.“

Joey put on a soft smile. „Guess that’s true, and it may have been a rocky road to get here, too. But I’m glad we’re where we are now, really.“

Suddenly, he heard Mokuba sobbing, tears streaming down his face as he said, „I’m so happy for you, Joey. Honestly. If Seto is happy, then that makes me happy too. Is he happy?“

Joey stroked Mokuba’s head comfortingly, then replied, „I’m sure you’d better ask him that again yourself, but he seems so to me. And so am I, very much so.“

„But Joey, why didn’t Seto tell me? I mean, what I said earlier about us always telling each other everything, that was true. Doesn’t he trust me?“

Joey was stung by Mokuba’s words. „It’s not like that, Mokuba. I think we both just wanted to find out what it was between us before we let you in on it. He trusts you, unconditionally, more than anyone else in the world. On the other hand, we just have to be careful too, y‘know. Seto is in the public eye and we don’t know how that might affect his image or his company - or even you. He wants to protect you, not hurt you. We were just talking yesterday about when and how we might tell you. Believe me, he really loves you, very much.“

Still sobbing, Mokuba asked, „Is that true, Seto?“ At that moment, Joey noticed Seto standing next to them. He crouched down to be level with them before turning to Mokuba and saying, „Yes, everything Joey said is true. Even if I vehemently disagree about his Christmas present.“ Joey noticed the soft smile on Seto’s face as he lovingly stroked his brother’s head. He watched this deep sibling love and couldn’t help but think that it must be just like that. He admired Seto for what he had done for his brother, and he was sure that Mokuba did not know even half of it, although he might believe so.

Seto took the floor again. „But, Mokuba, it is also true that we must be careful. That means not a word to anyone, at least not yet, okay?“

Mokuba nodded at his big brother. „I know. But please, don’t try to hide it from me anymore, alright?“ Seto smiled at first Mokuba and then at Joey, one of those smiles that usually only he saw. But instead of jealousy because he now had to share it, a completely different feeling came over Joey, one that completely took him over - the feeling of safety. The feeling that it was just right the way it was. The feeling of family.

Then he stood up. „I’ll leave you guys to talk some more, too.“ As Joey made moves to leave, he felt Seto’s hand on his own, and when he turned to the brunet, he was standing right behind him, pulling him closer. „Joey...“ he whispered, then couldn’t say anything more. Maybe because his brother was there, maybe because he couldn’t think of the right words. In the end, it didn’t matter because Joey could read everything he needed to know in Seto’s eyes - and returned his gaze just as intensely. Then they kissed tenderly, and there was so much affection in this union that Joey was afraid of bursting. They parted with a smile and Joey left the apartment. And he was relieved that Mokuba now knew the truth.

~~~~

Seto was left alone with Mokuba, and already he missed Joey’s presence. His heart still beat faster when he thought of how Joey had described their story. It had been so accurate and loving in equal measure that it had touched him immensely. He had also been impressed by how considerate and mindful he had been with his little brother. He had to acknowledge that it had actually been a good idea for Joey to talk to him first. He didn’t know if he could have had this conversation the same way. Once again, he admired his puppy for his eloquence, which Seto also had, for example at press conferences, but when it came to emotional matters he was often overwhelmed. His puppy with the sparkling golden eyes was just different, and that was wonderful.

He turned to Mokuba - and instead of looking into happy eyes, as he had expected, he saw Mokuba’s depressed expression. Without hesitating, he sat down next to him on the sofa. „What’s wrong, Mokuba?“ Mokuba looked him in the eye for a nanosecond, then averted his gaze and looked down, still cross-legged, playing nervously with his fingers. „You will hurt him.“ It wasn’t a question, it was a statement. Had Seto missed something here about what Mokuba and Joey had just discussed?

„Why would I do that?“ asked Seto, confused.

Then Mokuba looked at him again, and his gaze was so intense that Seto had trouble withstanding it. It was a real Kaiba look, after all.

„Didn’t you achieve your goal now? You wanted Joey to trust you and fall in love with you, and it all looks to me like you’ve accomplished what you wanted to accomplish. Does that mean your next move is designed to push him away again?“ He saw pain and also a little anger flash in Mokuba’s eyes.

And suddenly, Seto remembered his plan too. At the same moment, he realised that he had not given it a thought for a very long time. In fact, he had only consciously thought about it until their day at the sea because, after that, everything had been different. It was difficult for him to see or to admit to himself at first, but it was less and less about putting his plan into action and more about learning more about his puppy. Back then, when the waves were crashing so relentlessly against the pier, he had realised that they weren’t really that different. They just took different paths in how they dealt with the pain they had experienced. While it made Seto closed off, cool and distant - at least to everyone except Mokuba - unbridled anger grew in Joey, but a feeling of powerlessness at the same time, and he couldn’t handle it anymore, which almost made him want to end his life. When he had saved him, it hadn’t touched him on an emotional level, in fact, he wouldn’t even have cared if he had jumped or not. And as he finished that thought, he wondered what kind of person he had become. Did his past not leave him as cold as he had thought after all? Had he developed a hatred for everything and everyone and could only see it now? Or why would he have been so indifferent to seeing a person die before his eyes? If he imagined being in the same situation again now, Joey on the edge of an abyss, his whole body ached and his throat tightened. He suddenly felt like he couldn’t breathe any more because what gave him the air to breathe would instantly be missing. And that’s when he came to realise it. When he had made this plan, it had seemed really well thought out, but unfortunately, he had left out one important component - Joey. The blond, bubbly, adorable, sweet, simultaneously sexy and passionate whirlwind who had by now wrapped him around his finger and taken him over completely, and Seto would never be able to resist.

Then it struck him what Mokuba had actually just said. Was his puppy... in love with him? What did someone look like when this person was in love actually? And how would one behave if that was the case? How was he supposed to recognise that, he who knew nothing at all about love?

He had to postpone this thought until later because he knew that an answer would not just fall from the sky, and he noticed that Mokuba was looking at him expectantly. „No, Mokuba, forget the plan, it’s history. Well, only partly, come to think of it. I promised Joey I’d give him all the happiness he could stand, and I’m going to follow that part of the plan no matter what. The rest is passé. Mokuba, everything Joey said is true. And he means everything to me, you hear? I would never hurt him, I couldn’t. I want him to be happy because then I’ll be happy. Does any of this make any sense?“

And when he looked back into Mokuba’s face, he saw him suppressing a few tears again. But he also saw that the sparkle had returned to his eyes. „Yes, it does, Seto. And I’m really glad, I honestly am. Joey looked so happy just now, I was so afraid you’d hurt him. But I see it now - you’ve changed.“

Seto smiled. „That’s right, we both have. He’s changed me.“

And as Mokuba pulled him into a fierce hug, he was suddenly relieved that they had talked about it. That Mokuba knew now that this wasn’t a game, at least not anymore. That he really wanted to be with Joey, that it was all mutual.

Mokuba loosened the hug a little and then, addressing Seto, asked, „Does Joey know about what you were actually up to?“

In the bat of an eye, Seto’s expression darkened. „No, and I don’t think it’s a good idea to let him in on it either.“

Now his little brother looked at him sceptically. „But don’t you think Joey deserves the truth?“

Seto hesitated. If Joey knew what he had actually been planning, would he still want to be with him? He just couldn’t take that risk. At least not now. „Maybe I’ll tell him sometime, Mokuba, but right now I don’t want to risk anything. Will you promise me that you will leave this to me and you won’t tell him? I really do have honest intentions, Mokuba, and even if it wasn’t like that at first, it is now.“

With a slight smile and a loving expression on his face, the younger one replied, „Yes, I can see that. All right, as long as you’re completely honest with him now, that’s all that matters, after all.“

Seto smiled and gently stroked Mokuba’s head, who then snuggled close to his big brother. Yes, Joey had become incredibly important to him, and he couldn’t risk losing him. He really might tell him someday, but right now, all he longed for was to see his puppy happy. And he would do everything in his power to achieve just that.


	13. Rescue me... from the wounds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter: 
> 
> Disappear - Lynn
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/02iLx3TVTtjBskM3qisMal  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eptc_RmoPQc
> 
> I go along, I don’t fight  
> You know I’ve always tried  
> To ignore, but what for? (If no one’s by my side)  
> I need a change, I need a friend  
> I need this pain to end  
> Nothing helps, I lost myself
> 
> Won’t you take me out of here?  
> To a place I’ll feel alive  
> I’m released of all my fears  
> Love is there, just close your eyes  
> I’m alive you know  
> All I wanna do is let it go
> 
> ~~~~

A few days later, Seto was staying late in his company. He knew Joey would have to work long hours today too, and Seto also had some work to do. He looked at his phone, it was already after 10 pm. He needed a short break before he could fully concentrate on work again, and scrolled through the beautiful messages they had sent each other today. Would that ever change? Would they ever treat each other differently? He hoped not, because he was happy the way things were right now. He wouldn’t want to change anything, really nothing at all.

Then he put the phone away with a sigh. He really had to finish this, otherwise, he would sit here all night, and he had promised Joey to be with him every night. And he was a Kaiba after all, and a Kaiba did not break promises.

And just as he was about to get back to that annoying Excel sheet, the display of his phone flashed - Joey was calling. He briefly considered not answering it to finish this quickly, but then decided against it. He accepted the call and said, „Hey, puppy, can I call you back in 30 minutes? I really need to finish this or else...“

„Seto?“ Joey’s voice cut him to the quick. He was crying, he could hear that clearly, even if his voice was no more than a whisper. Only then did he notice the background noise; he must have been by a road. He also noticed the splashing of the rain.

„Joey, what’s wrong? What happened?“

„Seto, he... he...“ He had never seen his puppy so speechless. Everything inside him convulsed with worry as he suddenly became aware of a rustling, and then heard another voice speaking. „Kaiba? It’s Yugi. Joey keeps saying your name and... best you come here yourself, it’s hard to explain over the phone.“ Still, Seto was shocked because he didn’t know what had happened to Joey. And why was Yugi with him? He had to go right away, had to be with him if it was the last thing he did.

„Where are you?“ asked Seto breathlessly. He grabbed his coat and ran, at a speed he had never seen on himself before. He really needed to get to Joey now, wanted to know what had happened. Oh God, was he hurt? Was he going to die? Seto’s thoughts were racing and he felt sick, briefly felt like throwing up but just managed to hold it back.

„Are you at KaibaCorp right now? We’re not far from there, I’ll send you the location.“ As they continued to keep the call going, Yugi sent him the location with Joey’s phone, and sure enough, they were only two streets away. At that moment, Seto stepped out into the street, briefly considered which way was smartest, then hurried to get to his puppy as quickly as possible.

„Be right there,“ Seto said and hung up. Only a few moments later, he turned into the right street - and could see from a distance that his beloved puppy was surrounded by the entire ‚nerd herd‘. Great, he thought he only had to deal with Yugi, and now the others were there too. But regardless, he just had to know what had happened.

With quick steps, he walked towards the group. Joey was sitting on the ground in a side alley, dripping wet, probably from the unstoppable rain, and leaning against a house wall. Because of the weather and the time of day, there were hardly any other people on the street, and the geeks were additionally trying to protect him a little from views, but no one really gave them any attention anyway. The closer he got, the more he noticed how terrible Joey looked like. He was covered in blood, had wounds on his face, his clothes were torn. He kept his head down and Seto could hear him breathing rapidly despite the rain.

He stepped closer, the group had noticed him by now, and he asked, „What happened?“

Yugi turned to him. „We don’t really know either. We only arrived about five minutes ago - Tristan, Téa and I were having dinner nearby, we only discovered Joey by chance. Tristan has just called an ambulance which should be here any minute. Joey hasn’t said anything yet, except your name, over and over again. Then, he has pulled out his phone and called you, but didn’t really get anything out either.“ Yugi looked at him worried, he could hear Gardner crying, Taylor’s expression was shocked. Then, Yugi spoke up again. „I don’t know why he said your name, but maybe you can get through to him?“

So many things were going through Seto’s mind. Actually, he should be careful. They opened up to Mokuba about their relationship, but they agreed to leave it at that for now. What was the best thing for him to do now? What should he do? He was in such a state of shock for a moment that he couldn’t do anything, couldn’t move. All pairs of eyes were fixed on him expectantly.

Then, Joey, just very slightly, lifted his head. „Se-Seto?“ His voice was whiny, hurt, and all self-control drained from Seto’s body. He needed to be there for Joey, needed to know what had happened, and if that meant the geeks suspected something, then that was a problem he would still have to deal with, but it was also just a problem for the future.

So he overcame the distance between himself and Joey and knelt down in front of him so that they were now on the same level. The fact that his own clothes were now completely soaked didn’t bother him much, as long as he could find out what had been done to Joey. And above all, by whom. He still felt the stares of Yugi and the others at his back, but he couldn’t let that affect him at this point. Joey was everything to him and he had to stand by him, whatever other problems that might bring.

With his right hand, he took Joey’s hand to get his attention, but he still looked apathetic. With his left hand, he lifted Joey’s head so that he had to look at him. Oh God... he had wounds all over his face and blood was still running down his cheeks. His right eye was swollen and slowly turning blue, his lips were cracked and sore, and blood was also running from his nose. Seto’s breathing quickened and he struggled not to let the tears in his eyes run free.

„Joey, what happened?“

His puppy started sobbing and pressed himself against him. He was shaking all over and could only get one word out, but that word was enough to tell Seto everything he needed to know. „Dad...“

Seto tried as hard as he could to control himself. But he just wasn’t able to. Seeing Joey here like this, it was just too much for him. Damn the self-control. „That fucking... you know I’m gonna kill him, Joey.“

The blond looked up at him. All the sparkle was gone from his eyes, tears still flowing in rivulets down his cheeks. That bastard of a father had sucked all the life energy out of Joey, and even if Seto didn’t know the exact reason for it, or why it had happened just now - he wouldn’t let him get away with it. He had gotten away with it far too many times, but now, Seto Kaiba was on the case, and he would make sure he atoned for everything he had ever done to his puppy.

„Seto, don’t... please, don’t do this...“

Seto sighed. Just then, they heard the sirens of the ambulance. About bloody time! „Can you get up, my puppy?“ He didn’t know if he had said it loud enough for the nerds to hear him, but he just didn’t care either. He was furious and it was clouding all his senses. He had to make sure his puppy was better now, and after that, he would make sure his father wasn’t good. Never again.

He supported Joey a little and the latter stood up with him, but immediately buckled. Seto’s whole body ached and he felt what Joey felt. All the pain, all the agony, and he just wanted to make it stop, to make Joey feel happiness and joy again. He remembered his promise to give him as much happiness as he could bear, and he would make sure he felt it again. Would want to protect him from all pain in the future, wanted to be there for him. Always.

„Wait, you’re too weak, Joey.“ Then he lifted him up, holding his legs with one arm, supporting his back with the other, and immediately, the blond wrapped his arms around Seto’s neck and pressed himself close to him, which earned them confused looks from Joey’s friends. But that just didn’t matter now.

The ambulance pulled up to the side of the road and Seto walked carefully towards the emergency paramedics with Joey in his arms. „What happened?“ one of them asked, addressing Seto, and he couldn’t tell how he managed to sound so in control, but he did as he answered, „His father did that to him. I can’t tell if it was here or somewhere else, but it can’t have been long ago, he’s still bleeding.“ He put him on a stretcher and his heart broke into a thousand pieces. Seeing his puppy like this was just too much, and he could feel bile rising inside him again.

For a moment, they moved away from him to give Joey the care he needed and to analyse how bad his condition was. He sucked in a deep breath, but a short time later, he was already surrounded by the nerds.

„What’s wrong, Kaiba? He said ‚Dad‘, did his father do that to him?“ asked Yugi. Seto looked at him, his arms folded in front of his body. „How much do you know about Joey’s relationship with his father?“ He used Joey’s first name, and he could read in his friends‘ faces that this would still lead to questions. But Yugi skipped those questions, there were more important things than this to speak about right now, and Seto was glad that they obviously agreed on that.

„Not so much,“ Yugi began speaking. „In his suicide note, he vaguely hinted that his dad was to blame for him trying to... kill himself.“ Seto could see Yugi struggling with his composure, a few tears running down his cheeks. „And I’ve noticed before that something wasn’t right, like when he came to school injured or was absent for long periods of time. But Joey always denied everything or found some excuse. I didn’t know it was that bad. Oh God, I should have done something, should have intervened more.“

„I’m only gonna say this once, and I’m not gonna repeat it,“ Seto said, his gaze coldly fixed on Yugi for a moment before he turned away again. „But you probably couldn’t have done anything. None of you could have. People who have something like this happen to them are usually very good at hiding it, and I know Joey well enough by now to know that’s exactly what he did. There was nothing you could have done, in fact, you might have made it worse if you had intervened seriously. It’s not your fault.“

Seto looked Yugi in the face again and could see his astonishment. Yes, now he was sure there would be many questions, and inwardly, he was already bracing himself for them. Just as Yugi opened his mouth to presumably ask one of those questions that addressed the relationship between Joey and Seto, they heard Joey call out softly, „Seto?“

With quick steps, he ran off, leaving Joey’s friends behind, who were also following him, but at a much slower pace. Joey was still lying on the stretcher, looking at him with tear-blurred eyes. Seto could see that most of the wounds had been taken care of by now and the bleeding had also stopped, and he was glad to see a small improvement, even if he was still deeply shocked by the sight of his puppy. He stroked his hair tenderly and took one of Joey’s hands with his free hand.

„I’m here Joey, I’m not leaving.“ An emergency paramedic came up to him and the group had joined them now too, but Seto wouldn’t let go of Joey. He just couldn’t, no matter how hard he tried. It was too late now anyway. Good thing the emergency paramedics were at least sworn to silence, there would be no danger from them. Quite the opposite of Joey’s friends though, whose questioning looks he could still feel at his back.

„Some of his wounds we’d like to examine more closely, Mr Kaiba, so we’ll have to take him to the hospital.“

Joey strengthened his handshake, looking at him intensely, not wanting him to leave. And he wouldn’t leave his side even an inch. „All right, I’ll come with you.“

„I’m sorry, Mr Kaiba, we’re only allowed to take family members,“ the paramedic replied, but before Seto could formulate an angry and condescending reply, Joey beat him to it. „He **_is_ **family. He’s coming with me or I’m staying here.“ And even though it felt a little out of place, he could feel the happiness triggered by Joey’s words. Once again, he had to realise how much the blond meant to him. He would never leave his side, never.

The paramedic looked confused but left it there. So Seto got into the car with them, but then, he heard Yugi speak again. „Kaiba, please call me when you know more, will you?“ Seto thought about it for a moment but then nodded to him, the doors closed and the ambulance started moving towards the hospital. He would never say it out loud, but today, he felt Yugi really was a good friend to Joey.

„Seto?“ He had to blink and get his bearings for a moment. There was hardly any light in the room and he heard a soft beeping, from a machine? He himself was sitting in a chair, and then he saw Joey, in a hospital bed, and immediately, all the memories were back, the chaos of emotions also making a wild comeback in his body. He must have fallen asleep, but now, he was wide awake.

He pulled his chair closer to the bed. „Hey, my puppy. How are you?“ Joey looked like he had slept a little too, and despite the many sores on his face, Seto could see that the blond regained a little more colour in his face. Joey grabbed his head. „Got quite a headache. But I’m glad you’re here.“ The blond seemed a little calmer too, they’d probably given him some sedatives. Seto just had to take the chance and ask.

„Do you wanna tell me what exactly happened?“ He took Joey’s hands in his and gently stroked them. He knew this would take a lot out of him. But he absolutely had to prevent his puppy from retreating back into his shell, because that wouldn’t help him, on the contrary, it would be absolutely counterproductive.

He noticed how Joey’s memories came back and tears immediately welled up in his eyes. Concern marked Seto’s face and he gently stroked Joey through his hair because it usually calmed him down. It didn’t fail to have the same effect this time either, and then, as Joey looked deep into his eyes again, he found the courage to speak.

„I was on my way home. Wanted to take a walk. Was busy at work today and I need that sometimes to calm down afterwards.“ He faltered for a moment, but Seto wanted him to keep talking. He kissed the back of his hand before saying, „You’re doing well, my puppy. I know it’s hard, but please, go on.“

Joey swallowed hard but resumed, „And then I came to this street, which is where you found me. Some drunk bum bumped into me until I realised it was my dad. I didn’t recognise him at first, he looked so run down, all his clothes were dirty, and then this beastly smell. Just disgusting. And then...“

Joey sobbed and Seto pulled him into his arms, gently stroking his back. He really needed to calm him down. „Shhh, my puppy, it’s all right, I’m here. He can’t hurt you anymore. I’m with you and I won’t leave you for a second, do you hear me?“ Joey gradually quietened again and he seemed to relax a little in Seto’s embrace. So Seto disengaged from him again ever so slightly, yet their hands were still touching.

Joey gathered all his courage. „And then he threw all these things at me. How useless I was, what a piece of shit because I just dumped him and didn’t send him any more money. He told me that he had lost his apartment because he couldn’t pay the rent anymore, since then, he’s been living on the street, obviously right in the corner where I had just gone. I don’t usually go there, but I wanted to try a new route, bring in a bit of variety. If I had known what to expect, I would never have done it in the first place. Well, he had a bottle of alcohol in his hand anyway, he seemed to be able to find the money for that at least somehow.“ Joey snorted and vented his disdain for the man who called himself his father.

„And these wounds? What did he do to you, my puppy?“ Seto asked anxiously, hoping he hadn’t gone too far. But when the blond raised his head again and looked him in the eye, he could see how much trust the smaller man had in him, and he also perceived a warmth that was only meant for him.

„I was quite shocked to see him like that. Of course, he was drunk as a skunk, but I was in such shock that I could hardly move. It’s hard to describe, but he has this... power over me, it’s always been kinda like that. Anyway, he broke the bottle and ran towards me. That’s why there are so many wounds on my face. He got furious and hit me in the face with his fist, over and over again. Then he kicked me in the stomach... and when I was on the ground he just ran away. I... that... Seto, I...“ Joey was covering his face with both hands, letting the tears flow through his fingers. Seto couldn’t stand it, everything in him exploded with worry at seeing his puppy like this. So he sat down on the bed as well and wrapped his arms around him, hugging him tightly. „I’m here Joey, I’ll always be with you. He’ll never be able to hurt you again, okay? I’ll make sure he fucking gets what he deserves. He’s kept you from living the life you should be living for long enough. Now it’s over.“

Desperate, Joey broke free of the embrace, pulling Seto down to him by his collar so that their faces were very close, on the verge of touching. „But Seto, you... you can’t do anything illegal, okay? I don’t want you to... end up in jail or something. I need you with me!“ That made Seto smile a little. He brushed a strand out of the blond’s forehead and said, „Of course, I won’t do that. I would never stoop to his level. But I know the best lawyers in the city, I have very good relations with the local police, and I’ve had dinner with the prosecutor a couple of times. He doesn’t stand a chance, Joey. He won’t see daylight again for a very, very long time.“

Joey seemed very reassured by that, and it made Seto infinitely happy. He wanted to touch him, but he didn’t know how much Joey could take, so he held back. But then he looked into Joey’s eyes and knew he must have felt the same way because he still had his hands on his collar and was now pulling him a little in his direction. As if in slow motion, their faces approached, but since Joey’s lip was still very swollen, they only leaned against each other forehead to forehead, and despite this only light touch, the butterflies in Seto’s stomach exploded.

They were interrupted by a vibration - Seto’s phone rang, and when he took it out and looked at it, he could make out Mokuba’s name. Sun was slowly rising, which meant he had been out all night. Probably his little brother was worrying endlessly, and Seto was overcome with a guilty conscience.

Reluctantly, he detached himself from his puppy. Although he didn’t take Mokuba’s call, he could see that the latter had obviously already tried him a dozen times, and he also had countless texts from Yugi. He would have to take care of that now, but first of all, he wanted to call Mokuba.

Once again he took Joey’s hand and squeezed it lightly. „Can I leave you alone for a moment, my puppy? I’m afraid Mokuba wants to know where we are, and Yugi is bugging around too.“ And that’s when he saw it, a very slight smile on Joey’s face, very gentle only, and he couldn’t help but kiss him very softly on the tip of his nose. Then he got up and left the room for a few minutes to do what needed to be done.

~~~~

Now Joey was alone and his thoughts were still racing. For the last few months, he had tried to repress, to forget what had haunted him all his life, but tonight brought back all the pain, all the memories with a force he had never known before. It was much more than physical pain. This power his dad had over him, the fear he felt when he was even near him, the inability to fight back, all of it came back to him today. He had the feeling of being powerless, and even if he had tried to fight back, he was still afraid that it would have been futile in the end.

He had not noticed at all that Yugi and the others had found him. He was in a trance, caught up in all the memories that he suddenly could no longer escape. It was as if he was the child again, defencelessly at the mercy of his violent father. And somehow, it was still like that today. And then, he could think of nothing but Seto. He needed him, knew that without him he would fall and not be able to get up again. Somehow, he managed to get out his phone and dial his number, but he could hardly say anything. Only a little later the mobile was taken from his hand, now he knew it must have been Yugi, and he didn’t remember how long it had taken, but when he heard Seto’s voice, he came back to reality. Saw him in front of him, felt his touch, but also at the same time all the pain, physical and mental. But he had saved him, from sinking into his thoughts and never coming out.

Suddenly, he felt arms wrap around him again. He looked up and looked into Seto’s stormy blue eyes, and only then did he realise how he had collapsed back upon himself and how the tears were leaving his face in streams. But as soon as his dragon touched him, along with all the despair, there was the warmth that only Seto could bring out in him, and he calmed down a little.

„Seto, get me outta here, take me away, far away. As far away as we can, will you?“ He had to sob again, he was just so exhausted he couldn’t even begin to control his emotions.

„Wherever you want, my puppy. But first, we need to make sure your wounds are taken care of. I’ve told the nurse to get the doctor so we can find out how bad it is. Are you okay with that?“

Joey nodded and held onto Seto’s arm. It gave him back some control and strength, even if only in very slight rudiments, but it was still better than nothing. Just then, the door opened and a doctor entered. When he saw Seto, he raised an eyebrow - sure, they weren’t keeping their distance at all, but he knew that the man in the white coat was bound by doctor-patient confidentiality and none of this would leak out.

„Mr Kaiba, please excuse me, but I’m afraid I need to talk to my patient alone.“

„No!“ yelled Joey straight away, a little louder than he actually intended. He cleared his throat and tried to start again in a slightly more measured tone. „No, he stays here. He gets to hear everything you have to say to me.“ The doctor looked at Joey frowning but then nodded.

„All right. Mr Wheeler, you’re very lucky. Your injuries are purely superficial. Most wounds should heal within a week. If you’d like, you can leave the hospital today, I’d write you up some more medication and antibiotics to keep the wounds from getting infected, but also to speed up the healing.“

That was good news, and Joey was actually a little relieved too. He could really use some good news right now. „I would like to go home, thank you very much for the information.“

But the doctor did not leave the room just yet. He looked sceptically back and forth between the two men, then added, „The emergency paramedics have filled me in on what happened. Mr Wheeler, I’ve written a report and documented everything, I’ll give that to you as well. I would strongly advise you to go to the police with it and press charges. Of course, that is fully your decision, but what has been done to you is absolutely illegal and should be punished.“ With that, the doctor withdrew, leaving Joey and Seto alone again.

Seto brought him out of his thoughts as he brushed a strand behind his ear. „He’s right, Joey. We should go to the police. Do you think you can do that?“ Joey looked up at him and gazed into his gentle face that only he got to see. „If you come with me, I’ll make it for sure,“ Joey replied, which elicited a soft smile from Seto. And Joey couldn’t help but think how beautiful he thought his dragon was, despite the adverse circumstances they were in right now. He simply needed him, today more than ever.

Seto started to speak again. „What do you think about us flying to your family in the US in a few days? I also think you need to get out of here. I’ll take care of all the formalities with the school and all, but I think we could get out for a week. What do you think, would that be far enough away?“

Joey’s tears came again, but this time not from sadness, anger or despair, but from this deep feeling he had for his dragon. He couldn’t say anything, could only nod, and was so infinitely grateful to have him in his life that he almost couldn’t bear it.

They left the hospital at noon, their bags packed with medicines and the doctor’s report. Seto had already called his contact at the police station to let them know they were coming. He also mentioned the witnesses, namely his friends. He wondered if they would meet them there. He could imagine that he had made sure that they would now have many, many questions, not only about his dad but about Seto and him as well. And he knew it was inevitable that they would now finally learn the whole truth.

At the police station, his statement was taken, the doctor’s report copied and photos were taken too - his wounds were still fresh after all. Seto also clarified at the station that they would be out of the country in a few days for about a week, and gave them his phone number, which was also unlocked abroad, in case they needed more information. And just as they were about to leave to head home, they ran into his friends.

After a moment of awkward silence, Yugi spoke up. „Joey, how are you?“ His expression was concerned, and Joey was glad to count him among his closest friends. He replied, „Well, considering the circumstances. I have to thank you, all of you. For finding me and everything. I am very much in your debt.“ But Yugi just shook his head. „That was a matter of course, Joey. I’m sure you would have done the same for any of us.“ Affirmatively, Joey nodded at him.

Yugi’s gaze switched from him to Seto and then back again. Joey knew he would have questions, and that he more than deserved to know the whole story. Joey had hoped to be able to determine the timing himself, but he knew special situations called for special measures when in doubt. So he took a deep breath before explaining, „Seto and I are gonna fly to my family in the US for a few days. When we get back, I’ll explain everything to y‘all, all right? And by everything, I mean everything. No more secrets.“ Yugi’s gaze softened and a slight smile played around his lips. „All right, Joey. I want you to know that you can trust all of us, and whatever all this means“ - at that moment his gaze slid back over to Seto, then back to him - „you know you can count on us.“

Joey was touched and knew he was right. He hoped he hadn’t crossed the line now, knowing that Seto would have preferred to have prepared this differently too, but he had the feeling that the brunet also knew that their backs were now more or less against the wall. And Joey wasn’t going to tell his friends any lies, not any more. It was time, and when he looked Seto in the eye, he could see that he obviously knew it too.

Joey hugged Yugi, Téa and Tristan again, then they left the police station behind and made their way home, where Mokuba was probably impatiently waiting for their return.


	14. Rescue me... from the emptiness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> Empty Inside - Marek Iwaszkiewicz (Instrumental)
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/7vHOpJXTYcBFHtHGYV1mIm  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVU-wz7jZpE
> 
> ~~~~

Emptiness - that was all Joey had felt lately. Where only a few days ago, he had felt the pain, coming from his wounds, but also from all the memories that made it hard for him to breathe, now a darkness spread through him that he alone could not stop. Right now, all he did was staring thoughtlessly at the ceiling and waiting for the time to pass. Even though he tried, again and again, to focus on a thought, he couldn‘t. Even focusing a point on the wall was an almost impossible task because whenever he tried with all his might, his gaze blurred in front of his eyes and everything became cloudy. It was as if he had suddenly woken up in another world, a world that had nothing to offer him - nothing except his mere existence.

The tears that had wetted his cheeks not so long ago had dried, nothing reminded of them anymore. Joey tried to remember their salty taste, the feeling of wetness in his eyes, on his face, but he just wouldn’t succeed in that either. And he wanted nothing more than to get angry about it because it just wouldn’t work, but again - nothing.

What remained was his perception of what was currently happening. He could feel his breath, how the air entered his body and warmed air flowed out again. He could feel his nose wings moving, his stomach and chest heaving. But none of what he sensed reached his heart, none of it triggered even the slightest sensation in him. It was as if he had forgotten how to evaluate the things he observed. His head was no longer able to assign feelings to events. He existed, and that was all there was to say about it.

In the last few days, he had spent a lot of time alone. Seto had been busy non-stop with last-minute preparations for their upcoming trip, so the blond essentially did nothing more than lie in bed and stare holes in the air all day. To Joey, the bed felt so big when Seto wasn’t there, and he wished it would make him sad, finally give him the tears he wanted so badly to cry but just couldn’t anymore.

He and Seto saw each other occasionally for meals, but usually, Joey didn’t even notice him at first when he picked him up for any of them. It always took him a while to realise that there was someone else in the room. When he then tried to focus on Seto, it took some time again before he could see him, well, really see him, not the pixelated version he saw when the emptiness captured him. Next, he saw his ice-blue eyes, the worried look, the strands that fell into his forehead, especially when he had just freshly washed his hair. Afterwards, he could sense his scent, before eventually hearing what he said as well. And when Seto was with him for a longer time, not just a few minutes, he noticed how slowly some sensations came back, even if only vaguely hinted at first. The first thing he could think of, even before he was able to speak again, was how beautiful he found him. When Seto laid down next to him in bed in the evening and stayed awake with him for a while, at some point, the fog in front of his eyes would lift and he could see him, fix him with his gaze, then talk to him again and notice Seto’s hand on his cheek. Then, he returned to life and was no longer just a shadow of his former self.

Joey could not tell how much time usually passed before this point. He could almost rule out that it was just seconds, he was pretty sure it had to be at least a matter of a few minutes before he even knew Seto was in the room. But he was there, every night, falling asleep next to him, and when Joey slowly began to feel stirrings in his heart again, he knew Seto could rescue him from that state. And he knew Seto would always save him, no matter how deep he had fallen.

But he was alone a lot. When Seto left in the morning to take care of everything, all that remained of Joey was an empty shell. Once again, all life, all feelings vanished from his limbs. For the first few minutes after Seto had left him, he felt a powerlessness that overwhelmed him. He could then do nothing but lie in bed and stare at the wall again. He was trapped in the cage of his own thoughts, but if he tried to grasp a particular thought at that moment, it was gone again and he repeatedly became a slave to his own apathy, unable to free himself from it.

He wondered if it would always be like this now. Whether he would only feel better when Seto was with him. He knew it was good that there was obviously still a way out at all, and this one had ice-blue eyes. He just wished he could feel anything again, even without Seto. Sometimes he even wished the pain would hit him unrestrained so he could finally face it, but he didn’t know how. He was alive, breathed, ate a little bit - but was that really what life was all about? Would it always be like this from now on when he was alone? Seto was, after all, the president of a multi-billion company, he was also busy in his everyday life, so Joey often had to spend time without him anyway. How was he supposed to survive a daily routine in which he felt nothing but emptiness and darkness inside him?

Only a few weeks ago, he had intended to put an end to the pain, to extinguish his own life in order to escape the torment it brought. So maybe it wasn’t better to feel everything after all, maybe it was just a natural defensive reaction of his body and psyche. But Seto had shown him over the last few months that he could learn to deal with the pain. That he could have a life where he would be happy. And he had been happy until the day his dad had brought him back to the hard ground of reality.

Maybe he didn’t deserve it any other way? Maybe it was just fate trying to tell him that there could be no joy for him in this life. But would that be a life he wanted to live? For the last few months, Seto had shown him that there could be meaning in life. They had built a bond that could supposedly overcome anything. But would that be enough? He had promised him he would try, back at the sea, and just as a Kaiba never broke his promises, neither would a Wheeler give up without a fight. But this time, everything was different because instead of feeling a mass of pain, he simply felt nothing at all and glided through the day like a ghost, at least when Seto was away from him for longer. And he wondered if that wouldn’t be even worse than feeling everything.

~~~~

Seto pressed the red handset and hung up. The police still hadn’t found Joey’s dad, and he wondered what rat hole this vulture was hiding in. But he was also aware that it could only be a matter of time. He had promised funds that would help put more personnel on the case. Joey’s dad would be found, the clock was ticking relentlessly, and he would make sure he got whatever punishment he could. He wouldn’t get away with it, not any more.

Seto had noticed how pensive his puppy had been over the last few days. The gleam had completely disappeared from his eyes, and even if his physical wounds were gradually healing, Joey’s psyche was a very different story. Joey thawed a little whenever he was with him for a little longer, but Seto had, unfortunately, been very busy as of late organising everything that was necessary for their trip. Yesterday, he had called Joey’s mum to prepare her for their arrival, and he had also hinted that something had happened. Of course, she was curious and wanted to know more - his puppy had apparently inherited that from her - but he told her that they would explain everything to her and Serenity as soon as they got there. They had also agreed that Seto and Joey would stay in a hotel nearby because their apartment was not offering any space for visitors. He could understand that very well, apartments in Los Angeles were incredibly expensive, which was why they lived on the outskirts of the city. But Seto was actually quite happy about it, so he could always provide enough time alone with his puppy, and he was sure that not only he but also Joey needed that very badly right now.

Seto knew that the conversations with his family would also be difficult for his puppy, but he was sure it would contribute to his healing process. And he would be with him every step of the way, always, and together they would be able to do it. At least, he very much hoped so - he could feel the apathy taking hold of Joey more and more. He would need every person he cared about now, and Seto knew that his mum and Serenity were at the top of that list. And he hoped, as hard as it was going to be, that they could get him out of his head, show him that it didn’t have to be that way, that there was, in fact, a way out.

When his mobile vibrated and he read the message that the plane was ready at last, he made his way to Joey’s apartment. It was finally time, and he hoped it would bring Joey out of his shell. Seeing him like this broke his heart. Never in his life had he felt anything like this, except maybe for Mokuba. But this was very different because it was Joey, and his feelings for him were very different from the ones he had for Mokuba.

Arriving at Joey’s apartment, he knocked and then used his key card to gain access. He found his puppy, as he had so many times in the last few days, in his bed staring holes in the air. He didn’t notice Seto at first. The brunet just wanted to shake him, wake him up, bring him back to reality, and he would try every single second of the next few days to do just that. He had to show him that this was not his life, that it was in his hands. And no matter what he had to do to achieve that, he would do anything. Anything. Nothing was too big or too small or too difficult, for Joey, he would try anything. And the first step in the right direction was to get him out of here.

He walked over to the bed and laid beside him for a moment, taking his hand and kissing the back of it. „Hey, my puppy. How are you?“ He didn’t hear him yet. Seto was used to that by now, and he knew he had to give him the time he needed to get back to the here and now. And as he tenderly stroked Joey’s hand, hope spread through him that the next few days, when they would be together a lot, might ensure that he could escape this state more quickly.

At some point, Joey turned his head so that they could now look at each other. It was amazing how quickly the wounds had healed, even though his eye was still swollen and also a little blue, the rest was almost no longer visible. When he looked into his eyes, he could see warmth flashing for a nanosecond, but as quickly as it had come, it had disappeared. But Seto clung to those tiny seconds when he could see that his puppy, as he had come to know it, was still in there somewhere. He knew Joey just needed a little more time these days to be fully present again.

Seto turned on his side and Joey did the same. Then, the brunet put an arm over his waist and pulled him a little closer, resting his forehead against Joey’s, touching his cheek very gently. „Seto...“ he heard him whisper, but still there was no sparkle in his eyes, as if he was sleepwalking.

„I’m here, Joey. And I’m not gonna leave again.“ He caressed his hair gently, giving him a few minutes. When he felt Joey’s hand against his cheek, he knew he could focus on him a little better now, and he couldn’t hide a smile because he was so happy that he had the power to bring him back to life. Because even though his current condition scared him, it gave him the certainty that they could make it - together.

When he felt that Joey could hear him again and perceive him better, he said, „If you want, we can go. I’ve sorted it all out, your mum knows we’re coming, and she and Serenity are looking forward to seeing you.“

„Not looking forward to you?“ At first, the brunet was surprised at Joey’s ability to answer so quickly, but then, Seto had to laugh a little. As creepy as Joey’s appearance was at the moment, but in this state, he just said things sometimes that he found almost childishly naive, cute somehow. „Yes, of course, to me too. But they don’t know about us yet, that’s why your mum rather mentioned the anticipation of seeing you again. Do you wanna tell them, about us?“ Curious, he looked into Joey’s eyes, and again, for a brief moment, the golden colour was back before it gave way to a dull brown.

„I don’t know, should I?“

„That’s not the question, Joey.“ Seto pulled him up with him, hugging him from behind as he sat, wrapping his legs around him as he briefly covered his neck with light kisses. „The important question, my puppy, is, do you want it?“ Seto was relieved when he realised Joey was leaning into his touch - he was still there, his puppy, and he would bring him more and more back to the surface, come what may.

Joey turned to face him before saying, „But may I? Don’t we have to be careful?“ Seto brushed a few strands of hair out of his face before saying, „Generally speaking, you’re right, but my family - well, Mokuba - knows, so how could I forbid you to tell yours? How about we figure out how to do that on the plane? Assuming you want to tell them, of course.“

All of a sudden, unexpectedly quickly, life came back into his puppy and took Seto’s breath away for a moment when he saw his intense gaze. Immediately, Seto lost himself in his eyes. „Yes, I wanna tell them so badly. But you have to be with me, okay? I... I don’t wanna be alone. If I’m alone, then...“ And all at once, Joey was back in his shell. No, he had to keep talking, Seto had to keep him from hiding.

„Joey, look at me, talk to me. What happens when you’re alone?“

„Then... then I just don’t feel anything. I feel empty. If I could at least feel pain, sadness, anything, I could maybe deal with that, but just not feeling anything, I just don’t know what to do. Does that make any sense?“

Seto nodded. „Of course, everything you say makes sense. Look, I’m here, okay? I’m sorry I haven’t been with you as much the last few days, but I’ve got everything set up, including at work, so I can really focus on you fully. And Joey, please don’t forget that I always wanna be there for you. Because you are incredibly important to me and mean everything to me. Okay?“

Tears came to Joey’s eyes, and Seto could see they were tears of joy. He gently brushed a few of them from his cheeks, then asked, „Do you feel anything when I’m with you?“

Joey nodded. „Yes. What you just said... that was beautiful, Seto.“

„Tell me what you feel then.“

He saw Joey taking a moment to think about it. „I feel warmth, and when I close my eyes I can still see you. That’s nice... it feels good. I like being with you so much.“ Seto was surprised to see Joey even smile a little, and by the purity of his words. It still wasn’t the puppy he was before this incident, but it made him feel a little more hopeful.

He gave him a kiss on the forehead, then said, „And I love being with you, my puppy. There’s no place I’d rather be.“ Joey even blushed a little - man, they’d just spent way too little time together the last few days. Maybe he’d be feeling better by now if Seto hadn’t been so absent? He felt guilty, but at the same time, he knew that he had now freed up so much time that he could devote himself fully to Joey. And he would make the best of it.

„Can we leave now?“ asked Joey, and Seto nodded with a smile. They left the apartment for the rooftop helipad - they would be flown by helicopter to the larger airfield where his private plane was located - and Seto told the staff to load their luggage.

When they arrived at the large airfield only a short time later, Joey already looked a little more liberated. Yes, it had been the right decision to take him away from here, Seto could see that very clearly now. Their luggage was stowed in the plane and the pilot greeted them both personally. There were also two flight attendants on board who would provide them with food and drinks but were otherwise very discreet - plus there were two separate, private sleeping quarters for them to retire to. He let Joey go up the stairs first, and his astonishment was written all over his face. Seto couldn’t describe how happy it made him to see emotions back on the blond’s face.

~~~~

When they had landed on the airfield, standing only a few feet away from the entrance of Seto’s private plane, Joey was suddenly completely unburdened. Seto hadn’t taken his eyes off him for even a second since he had come to him earlier, and Joey could feel it bringing him back to life. Slowly, the sensations returned, it was possible for him to evaluate the things he saw again. He was grateful for every feeling he could now perceive, no matter what it was.

And at the very moment they boarded the plane, he was amazed above all. He had never flown before - apart from the helicopter flights - and could hardly imagine that an ordinary flight would look like this. Everything looked so classy and even the seats they would be sitting on looked more comfortable than anything he had sat on so far.

A flight attendant led them to their seats and Joey settled in the window seat, Seto sat right next to him. In front of them was a large table and behind it were two more seats positioned in the opposite direction of the flight. Joey looked out of the window and onto the airfield for a moment. He could see the hustle and bustle and was actually a little excited.

Relief spread through him. He felt again, could grasp individual thoughts, even if it was still a little difficult for him to perceive many coherent thoughts. He wasn’t sure if Seto was aware of how much influence he had on him. After all, Joey found it totally strange himself - one moment, he felt empty and apathetic, and the very next he felt this connection to his dragon, if only he was in the same room as himself - though admittedly, it took a while to get back to that state of feeling. It was as if Seto was his bridge to life, the rope that pulled him up when he had fallen too deep again. And he gladly accepted it. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

He looked directly at Seto and lost himself in his beautiful, ice-blue eyes. He knew that he would not be able to touch him as long as there was so much hustle and bustle around them, but he longed for him. He had really only seen him sparingly the last few days, and he also always came to bed very late, even if he kept to the fact that they would spend every night together. He was getting impatient because he really wanted to kiss him. They had avoided that too recently, simply because his lip was still a little swollen, but by now, it was completely healed. Unfortunately, the same could not be said of his eye, but it was on the right track. It was strange to suddenly feel this longing again because he had simply felt nothing at all for the past days - but it gave him courage that there was light on the horizon. And this light was ice-blue.

They heard the pilot announce that they should fasten their seatbelts because the plane was about to take off. He saw the two flight attendants also going to their seats, which were separate and also out of sight of them. Joey had - for whatever stupid reason - problems adjusting his seatbelt properly. He was about to give up, annoyed, when he felt Seto’s hands on his - he was very close to him and looked him in the eye the whole time while he adjusted Joey’s belt and pulled it tight. Joey’s skin tingled under Seto’s touch.

Slowly, the plane began to move, but the two did not, their faces only inches apart. Joey’s excitement about the flight was suddenly joined by the heat that had been such a natural part of his everyday life just a week ago, whenever he felt Seto’s eyes on him. He had missed it. He knew that any conversations with his family that laid ahead would also be difficult - he had resolved to tell them the truth, not only about Seto and him, even if he couldn’t wait to do so, but also about his dad. He knew what he would unleash, and it scared him to no end. But he was undoubtedly sure that Seto was there to stand by him, to step in whenever he stumbled or needed help. And now, at this moment when they were so close, he wanted to just forget the worries that were now still in the future, just be with him, feel his touch, now that he could finally perceive them in their entirety again.

And the moment they took off, he knew that no one would be able to see them anymore. He covered the small distance between their faces and kissed Seto with a passion that demanded more. This elicited a comforting sigh from Seto and Joey knew that Seto had missed kissing him too. Joey’s stomach was all tingling, partly because of the plane rising higher and higher, but also because he could finally feel the butterflies again. Breathing quickly, he released the kiss and wiped some tears from his eyes, and Seto looked at him worriedly. „What’s wrong, my puppy?“

Joey shook his head and smiled. „I feel something, Seto. Do you know how liberating that is? I was so afraid I wouldn’t be able to do this anymore. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to feel that way for you anymore. But it’s still there. _**I’m**_ still here.“

He saw how touched Seto was. „Joey, I’ll make sure it stays that way, okay? Whenever you feel empty, even for a split second, you come to me, all right? Whether I’m working or sleeping or doing whatever, okay?“

„Yes...“ he murmured only briefly before engaging Seto in another kiss. This time, it was more tender, so full of trust and affection for each other. And as he kissed Seto, all his senses and sensations suddenly returned - he perceived Seto’s scent with a force he had never felt before, as if his body was absorbing everything he had been so strenuously suppressing for the last few days. He released the kiss and rested his head on the brunet’s shoulder, wanting to concentrate entirely on his scent. He smelled kind of flowery, sweet, but in the background, he also detected a very subtle scent of mint. It was beguiling and at the same time, Joey felt the relief of being able to grasp these thoughts and feel the many impressions exactly. He tried to memorise that and resolved that the next time he felt empty and melancholy, he would try to think back to that very moment. Maybe he had trouble grasping any thought when he felt like that, but if he knew exactly what to think about, it might help him not to drift off. It would certainly be worth a try.

When the captain’s voice sounded again, announcing that they had now gained sufficient altitude and could therefore unbuckle, they briefly drew apart, startled simply by the sound, which they had not expected. Then, Seto smiled at him. „Want me to show you around a bit?“ Joey returned the smile and nodded, then unbuckled his seatbelt and Seto and he rose from their seats.

„So, where we are standing here are the seats we have to sit on during take-off and landing. Further forward in the plane is a small bar where a flight attendant will always be ready to make us drinks if we feel like having some. And back here“ - Seto pointed towards the back of the plane - „are two private sleeping quarters. They’re not huge, but they hold two people per sleeping space.“

„That means we can retire there whenever we want?“ asked Joey.

Seto looked around, and when he didn’t see anyone, he stroked his cheek and lip for a brief moment before saying, „Whenever we want. They’re even extra noise-proof.“ Joey turned as red as a tomato, which made Seto laugh. „Because there are TVs in there that you can turn on loud if you don’t want to listen with headphones. No idea what you were thinking about...“

Joey joined in his laughter, feeling so happy and free. He knew he had to enjoy this now, and that the negative feelings, or maybe even that emptiness, could come back faster than he liked. But he would have Seto just for himself for the next few days, and he hoped to be able to recharge his batteries enough in that time so that he wouldn’t fall back into the hole Seto had just so painstakingly pulled him out of.

The brunet opened a door to one of the sleeping cabins and Joey was amazed - he hadn’t lied, it wasn’t incredibly big, but it still offered more than enough space to accommodate a double bed, a small folding table, an even smaller chest of drawers and the television that was mounted on the wall. It looked just as classy as their seats. Joey took a step inside and let his gaze wander around the small room when he suddenly felt Seto hugging him from behind. Joey leaned against him and enjoyed the touch. It was really amazing how intensely he felt him now - he felt what he hadn’t felt in the last few days, could even sense it with greater intensity. And he would savour every second, to the extreme.

Seto had closed the door behind him and they were all to themselves. „We should get some sleep, my puppy, the flight will take about ten hours in total. And prepare yourself for some serious jet lag, we have a 17 hour time difference to LA.“

„17 hours? What... how’s that even possible?“ asked Joey, almost horrified. He detected Seto’s light laugh against his ear. „I know, crazy, right? And you know what’s even crazier? It’s 17 hours earlier. That means when we arrive, it’ll still be earlier than when we left.“ Everything was suddenly spinning in Joey’s head, now he was completely confused. „Well, that can’t be right. Like, isn’t that against science or something? I thought we were on a private jet, not a time machine.“ Laughing, they dropped backwards onto the bed and just looked up at the ceiling for a few minutes. Still, it felt different to Joey than it had in the last few days when he had so often stared holes in the air by himself. He could feel Seto’s presence very close to him and was completely taken in by it. As if the taller one was erecting a bubble around them, protecting them from all outside influences.

But Joey knew this was only a temporary state. If he was honest, he was afraid to get off that plane again because he knew what to expect. How would his mum react? He wanted so badly to be honest, but would he really be able to do that? He knew she would feel incredibly guilty, and even though Joey thought that was absurd because she was simply not to blame for that at all, he knew his mum well enough to know that was exactly what would happen. Would he be able to catch her if she falls? Would he find the strength to mentally relive everything and still be there for her afterwards? He had to admit to himself that he didn’t know. He tried to imagine it, but he just couldn’t grasp the thought. Joey was so afraid of seeing her fall - because that would be entirely his fault.

„Hey, Joey, look at me.“ Joey hadn’t even noticed how his eyes had drifted off, aiming at a point that seemed light years away by feel. He looked at Seto, but he was having trouble focusing. He felt the emptiness inside him take control - again.

As if muffled, he heard Seto’s voice, as if it was very far away. „Joey, stay with me. Tell me what’s going on inside you.“ Again, Joey tried to concentrate on him, and he succeeded a little better, if only for a split second. He felt Seto’s hands on his cheeks and Joey now focused all his attention on that touch, analysing it carefully, closing his eyes. Seto’s thumbs brushed lightly over his cheeks, just below the eye. His hands were warm and large and he felt some fingers on his neck as well. Then, his attention slowly extended to the sounds. He heard Seto breathing and felt a little of the warm air on his face whenever the taller one exhaled. He still smelled the same as before, as Joey vehemently tried to memorise his scent. He perceived the minty smell more intensely now than it had been earlier. Then, all of a sudden, he heard Seto’s voice, very close to his ear, no more than a whisper.

„Joey, I’m here. You are not alone. Try to focus on my voice.“ Joey’s awareness improved, but he knew if Seto didn’t keep talking, he would disappear again. He managed a brief, almost imperceptible nod and hoped Seto would understand.

„Would you like me to talk about something? Would that help?“ asked Seto, clearly having understood Joey. Still, Joey couldn’t speak, so he repeated the nod with great effort. He wanted to get out of here, wanted to reach for the rope Seto threw him, but he was still too far away.

„I’m not sure if there’s anything in particular I should speak about that might help you. But I just talk, and if you want me to stop or talk about something else instead, just give me a quick tap with your finger. Can you do that?“ It took Joey a few seconds to understand what Seto had just said. He still felt like he was so far away, but then he realised that Seto had taken his hands off his cheeks. He tapped Seto’s hand briefly with his index finger and tried to concentrate on Seto’s breathing, then again on his words as he began to speak again.

~~~~

Seto still didn’t really know what to say. Before he could realise it, Joey was pulled back into this apathetic state and seemed unable to free himself. Seto felt a little helpless. Was he enough to help him out of this? Could he manage to bring Joey back to reality? He had to try, and if necessary, he would talk the entire flight if that was what he needed.

He took one deep breath. What if he just let his mind run free? Joey would let him know if it was the wrong topic, he was obviously present enough to understand what Seto was saying and could make himself heard by tapping his finger. So Seto just started speaking about whatever came to his mind.

„Do you know that I have never met anyone like you? Before you came, Mokuba and my company were my life, and I was honestly very satisfied with it the way it was. But you changed everything. That day by the sea, you let me see you. The real Joey, not the one you always want everyone to see. I started to understand who you really are. And I told you things that no one knows about me and that I didn’t want anyone to know. But I just felt I could tell you as if I had known you all my life. After that, you took over my thoughts more and more. I really tried to block it out, but the more I fought it, the more intrusive the images became in my head. It was pointless to even try anymore. Every time you smile it makes me happy, and that’s why I wanted to try to give you so much joy that you have to smile non-stop. God, I was so happy when you were so liberated at Christmas because your family was with you. You kept telling me you didn’t know how to return the favour, but you didn’t have to. All I wanted was to see you smile. You know, I still can’t walk into my home office without thinking of that moment at Christmas. I know you think you gave me an absolutely trivial gift with that keychain, but it was so much bigger than you could have imagined. Because I knew you had thought about it, and I was happy that you must have thought about me. I wanted me to take in your thoughts as much as you took in mine. And when we almost kissed - and if Mokuba hadn’t rushed in, I would have kissed you for sure - I knew that I had to do everything I could to keep making you laugh like that. And I kept coming up with all kinds of things to make it work. Do you know how much you have changed me? Except for Mokuba, I’ve never done anything for anyone, because it was just totally unimportant to me. And then you come along, and all I can think about is when I can see you shine next, and how I can manage to give you what you need for that. It’s worked well so far, but now... I’m afraid of not being enough, Joey, of doing it all wrong and leading you deeper into this emptiness instead of helping you escape it. Whatever it is that I need to do, I’ll do it, but I just don’t know what it is that I can do. I don’t know if just being with you is enough, if I’m enough. I want to be everything to you, Joey, like you’re everything to me. But will that be enough? The worst thing I could imagine would be to lose you, to not have you in my life anymore. That would take my breath away. I’m scared that one day, you’ll wake up and realise that I couldn’t help you enough, right now. I...“

And suddenly, Seto felt cheeks wet with tears against his and tender lips touching his own. They were both lying on their sides, but Joey had other plans and now threw himself over him, pressed Seto’s hands into the mattress and was now kneeling over him while he kissed him incessantly. Seto immediately closed his eyes to feel this intimate touch even more intensely. Everything he had just said was true because he had just let his mind run wild, which had come easier than he ever thought it would. Yes, Joey had really changed him, that was even more noticeable now than it already was. And he knew he would never be able to do without his puppy, without his touch and his closeness, he would be screwed.

Slowly, Joey released the kiss and Seto opened his eyes again, gazing in amazement into Joey’s eyes, which shone goldenly. He was with him again, his puppy had returned. Seto reached out a hand and wiped the remaining tears from his cheeks, most of which had dried by now. He was still above him, his hair crisscrossing his face.

„Seto... I...“ He seemed to struggle with the words, but Seto gave him time to collect himself. „How can you think you’re not enough? You should never believe such things, never, do you hear? I will never leave you, and that’s a promise. Because I can’t live without you, not anymore. That scares me a little, because I’m so dependent on having you in my life, but since you seem to feel the same way, it makes me very happy. If you weren’t here now, I would have fallen into the depths long ago, and I mean that both metaphorically and literally. If it weren’t for you, I would be dead. Without you, I would have no life at all. You are my life, Seto. I...“

It was as if he wanted to say something else, but didn’t really know how. But for Seto, that was enough, more than enough, more than he deserved, at least it felt that way. He pulled him close and felt Joey’s tears come again, immediately gathering in his shirt and leaving a wet stain. Nothing could be more inconsequential to Seto right now.

„And you’re mine, Joey.“ The blond was his drug, for he was just as addicted to it, hooked and full of longing for the next fix that would inevitably come. He would spend his whole life getting as much of his drug as he could - with the absolute knowledge that he would never manage to overdose because it was impossible to reach that state in the first place.

~~~~

„Good afternoon, this is your captain speaking. We would now like to ask you to return to your seats because we have started our approach to land.“ Joey startled - he must have fallen asleep. He looked over at his dragon, who seemed to feel the same way. He saw Seto rubbing his eyes, yawning, and then asking, „When did we fall asleep?“ Joey had to laugh. „I don’t know, honestly.“ Then, Seto looked at him again and he couldn’t suppress a smile either.

For a moment, Joey wondered if he had just dreamed that earlier. He had been buried so deep again in the emptiness that surrounded him, but then, his brave dragon came and pulled him out of the vortex of nothingness, brought him back to the surface. Joey still couldn’t believe that Seto had told so much, after all, he wasn’t exactly known for being so open about his feelings. But Joey could see how much he had changed, how much effort he put in when it came to him. He could still feel his heartbeat quickening when he thought back on it. He was so grateful to have Seto in his life and by his side. Never would he let him go, and he would spend every day of his life making him feel that he didn’t have to have that fear.

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt Seto’s lips against his, if only for a split second. „We should go take our seats, my puppy.“ Joey looked up and could see those beautiful blue eyes. Would he ever get his fill of them? Probably not.

With a nod, he too stood up, stretched and brought his limbs back to life. They walked to the front of the plane and Joey couldn’t help but wonder what the flight attendants had been doing all this time. After all, they hadn’t had much to do after Seto and he had retired.

Back at their seats, Joey took a sip from the water bottle that had been provided for them and only now realised how thirsty he had been. Seto sat down next to him and did the same. For a moment, Joey looked out the window and could see the ground getting closer and closer, if only piecemeal. Soon, he would meet his family again, which gave him mixed feelings. Of course, he was happy to be able to see them again so soon, but he knew that this was not going to be an easy visit. He still didn’t know how far he should go, how much he should really reveal.

But then he stopped his thoughts. No, if he continued now, everything would only end up like before when the emptiness captured him. He turned to Seto, who looked at him worriedly but said nothing. Earlier, he had told him that he felt helpless because he didn’t know what he could do. So Joey wanted to involve him, show him that he could help because he needed his help if he was going to get through this somehow in one piece.

Joey let out a short sigh and then took another deep breath before asking, „How much do you think I should tell them, Seto? My mum will blame herself terribly, but I don’t want that.“ He could see that Seto was trying hard not to touch him again, but with the flight attendants already running back and forth to prepare the plane for landing, he held back.

The brunet thought for a moment, then replied, „Tell them what you want to tell them. Concentrate on yourself, I am there and can intervene if necessary.“

Then, the light came on, signalling that they needed to buckle up. In a few minutes, they would have solid ground under their feet again, and he saw the two flight attendants going to their seats as well. Apparently, Seto realised that they were now unobserved because he took one of Joey’s hands and with the other, he pulled his face in his direction by the chin. He looked at him intently, the tips of their noses touching lightly. „You are strong, my puppy, much stronger than you think. I know you well enough by now to know what fighting spirit you have inside you. I know this won’t be easy, that it might hurt, but I’m here, every second, and I’ll always catch you if you fall. You can do this, I believe in you.“ And as Joey bridged the last few inches and joined their lips, the plane touched down on the ground. And even though he felt a great uncertainty spreading inside him about what would happen next, he knew that his dragon would do everything to protect him from too much pain. He could only hope that he could be as strong as Seto said he was.


	15. Rescue me... from the dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> I can’t carry this anymore - Anson Seabra
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/1NNnmmBEaId0uoWfvtNd8F?si=8czyRNpCSTKT9Q75uQearw  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCycoUCopno
> 
> Mama said gonna be all right  
> But mama don’t know what it’s like in my mind  
> Mama said that the sun gonna shine  
> But mama don’t know what it’s like to want to die
> 
> I know I’ll be fine it’s just that  
> Every time this comes back  
> Tell my maker up above that  
> I have had enough
> 
> ~~~~

Together they stepped out of the plane, Seto close behind Joey, so that he could almost feel his breath on the back of his neck. The first thing Joey noticed was the warmth. It was early afternoon and he could feel the warm air quite clearly on his skin, had to open his coat to keep from getting too hot. He descended the stairs and couldn’t help but think that something was different. Maybe it was because he was abroad for the first time in his life, maybe it was because the weather in Los Angeles felt so different from Japan. The smell was different too. Maybe it also had something to do with what he was facing. But he knew whatever was going to happen would happen. He was here now - and there would be no turning back.

Together with Seto, he got into a black limousine that was already waiting for them on the airfield. He took off his coat and put it on his lap. No sooner had the car taken off than Joey looked out the window, seeing the airfield moving further and further away. The sun blinded him despite the tinted windows and he tried to shield himself a little from it with his hand over his eyes and still be able to look out. On his other hand, he could feel Seto’s, and when he looked at him briefly, he could see concern flashing in his eyes. He wondered if this sentiment was justified. What would all this do to Joey, who would he be when it was over? Would it change him once more, the way he had changed in the last few months? Would it make him feel like he couldn’t see a way out again? He didn’t know, he couldn’t even know, not until he did it. And he knew he would have to - because it was certain that he would never manage to get away from his memories if he didn’t do it now. The only thing he could hope for was that Seto would give him the strength he needed, the will to return to life instead of letting himself fall into the darkness that would inevitably await him.

After about an hour, they arrived at a hotel that looked very luxurious. A tiny smile, but one Joey couldn’t fully feel, settled on his lips. Seto would probably never stay at a simple, ordinary hotel, huh? The taller one hadn’t said anything since they got off the plane, and Joey couldn’t help but notice that the same was true for him. There was something in the air that Joey couldn’t quite put his finger on. It was kind of dark, settling over him like a heavy weight that his shoulders and back had to carry.

He realised that, by now, they had arrived at the hotel room. Had he been so lost in thought that he hadn’t noticed how Seto had checked them both in? Absent-minded, he entered the room, and of course, it wasn’t a room, but a luxuriously appointed suite. What else would it be? He walked straight towards a window, pulled the curtains aside a little and watched the world outside. There were still many people on the streets, and even though the sun was a little lower by now, it hadn’t lost much of its radiance. Where were all these people going? What was occupying them in their lives? What he would give to trade places with one of them, just for a day, to know what it felt like to live a life that had never known darkness.

At that moment, he felt Seto’s head on his shoulder, his arms wrapped around Joey’s body, pulling him tighter. In a calm, quiet voice he whispered in his ear, „Would you like to lie down for a while, Joey?“

Joey took a deep breath and thought about this question. Why did he suddenly feel nothing again? Why didn’t Seto’s touch trigger the tingling sensation he usually got? If there was one thing Joey could count on in the last few days, as empty and hazy as they had felt, it was that Seto could make him feel something. Did he perhaps just need a little more time, now that they hadn’t touched so much for some time since they’d left the plane? Again, Joey couldn’t help but notice that it felt different from the last few days. Everything he knew was missing here, he didn’t have the environment around him that he had become so used to over the last few months. Seto was his only familiar pillar here, and he had no choice but to hope and trust that would be enough.

„Joey?“ he heard another soft whisper against his ear. Ah, yes, he hadn’t answered the question yet. His gaze had lowered towards his shoes. Now, as he lifted it again and looked outside, he knew what to do. He didn’t want to wait because there was no reason not to get the inevitable over with right away. „No. Let’s go straight to my family.“ He could sense the surprise in Seto’s breathing, and as the taller man broke away from him, he felt the darkness take stronger possession of him again.

„All right, if that’s what you want, I’ll call your mum.“ Joey turned briefly to Seto and nodded at him. He could see the worry, the unease, the concern in Seto’s gaze, but Joey knew it was the right thing to do, after all, that was why he was here. Still - his heart felt nothing as he returned Seto’s gaze. So he turned again, to the window that let the light shine mercilessly into the room while Seto made the call.

A little later, the brunet came back to him and gently took his hand, just standing beside him and looking out the window with him. Joey closed his eyes, hoping that if he concentrated on the touch, that the emotions would then come back. With a sigh, he found that they did not. He felt his own heart beating regularly behind his chest, felt the even breath flowing in and out of his lungs, but none of it triggered even the hint of emotions.

Seto now turned him so that he had to look at him. His hands wrapped around Joey’s face as he spoke, „We can go as soon as you’re ready. Take all the time you need. And Joey, never forget that I am with you. I won’t leave your side.“ Seto stroked his hair lightly, which usually had a calming effect on Joey, but he was already calm, too calm for what was about to happen.

Joey nodded, then said, „Let’s go then.“ He set a direct course for the door, feeling Seto’s eyes at his back, which normally gave him a comforting shiver but this time, the fine hairs on his body remained calm, spared the intense goosebumps. When Joey opened the door, he knew that something was about to change again. He just didn’t know what yet, or if it would be good. Or if it would be worth it. Everything in his head was talking in the subjunctive, and he now had to make sure to bring back clarity and certainty.

They walked to his family’s apartment, which was not far from their hotel. The house certainly looked nicer from the outside than the one Joey had spent his youth in, and he was also pretty sure that the apartment itself was cleaner and wouldn’t reek of alcohol the way his dad’s did. After they heard the front door buzzer, Seto held the door open for him and Joey went ahead, climbing the stairs, not knowing if he was walking straight to his doom. As if in a trance, he took one step after the other until they had obviously reached the right door.

His mum looked at him and her gaze resembled Seto’s to a surprisingly great extent, except that there were a few tears forming in her eyes. She had probably noticed that his eye was still swollen and slightly blue, and Joey came to the conclusion that it had probably been better not to come straight here when the wounds were still fresh. That would certainly have made it even harder for him today than it already was.

  
She said something, but he could barely hear her, as if she was standing light years away from him, yet he could feel her arms around his body, her body heat, her touch. But none of that triggered any sensations in him either.

They went into a room that was apparently the living room and Joey sat down on a sofa, Seto right next to him, his mum and Serenity opposite them on an armchair each. Seto slid a little closer to him, which was remarkable because he was usually so meticulous about keeping his distance when someone else was around. But Joey could hardly concentrate on anything. However, he then heard Seto speaking, and unlike his mum, whose words he could only perceive as if from a distance, he could make out exactly that he wasn’t that far away, even if he was also only noticing his words in a muffled way.

„Joey, take your time, okay? We’re all here listening to you.“

Was that his cue? Apparently, because three pairs of eyes were on him, and he could see the concern in all of them. Joey had always imagined, when he had been thinking about what this moment would feel like for the last few days, that he would feel an impulse to flee, or something that would stop him from saying anything. Even when they were still on the plane, he could feel uncertainty and fear spreading through him, but now - nothing. He looked up and looked at his sister and his mum. „Before I start,“ Joey began, „I want you to know that none of this is your fault, not even yours, Mum. None of this you could have prevented and it was my choice to remain silent until today. Do you understand?“

His mum and Serenity exchanged uncertain glances but Joey wanted to wait for their answer, he would not go any further before that. Cautiously, they both nodded, and Joey felt Seto stroke his back briefly before releasing the touch. Still, he didn’t build up any distance and remained seated close to Joey.

The blond took another deep breath before he began to speak. His vision blurred before his eyes, he didn’t think about what he was saying before he did it - he wouldn’t have had enough concentration for it anyway. So he let go - and hoped the fall wouldn’t make him hit the ground too hard.

„It started about a year after you left for the US. Dad had lost his job, and at least half his mind too. In the years since, he’s had some jobs on and off, but never really anything long-term. I didn’t make it easy for him either. I’m sure you can remember how wild I was as a child, and in a way I still am, although not as much as I was back then. I think in the beginning, he was simply overwhelmed with me, didn’t really know how to deal with me. And he missed you a lot, we both did. At that time, we were both going a bit crazy, I guess.“

Joey paused for a moment and tried to think back to that time. „I did pretty much every nonsense a 10-year-old could do. I stole things from supermarkets, took money out of my dad’s wallet and definitely had the wrong friends who encouraged me to do more stupid things. And today, I think that Dad just didn’t know how to deal with it because I didn’t listen to him at all. That’s when he started drinking. And then it all took its course.“

Joey felt inside himself for a moment, but he just couldn’t feel anything. Why didn’t all these memories trigger anything in him? He looked up briefly, into Seto’s face, which was looking at him with unchanged concern. Ah, yes, he hadn’t told him that part of the story yet, only the more or less abbreviated form. With great effort, Joey tried to remember where he had just stopped, then he resumed.

„The first time was actually harmless. He slapped me for refusing to clean my room. I immediately burst into tears and locked myself in my room. I think Dad felt remorse. He knocked on my room door and said he was sorry. I didn’t open the door until my room was tidy. And when he saw that, I could read it right off his face - he had found a way to control the whirlwind that was his son.“

He noticed a few single tears running down his cheeks, and caught them with his hands before they could get onto his T-shirt. It had to be a purely physical reaction to what he was saying because he still felt no emotion in him at all. As he put down his hand back on the sofa, he felt Seto place his hand on it. Fleetingly, Joey looked up, looked him in the blue eyes filled with horror, before he averted his gaze again and continued speaking.

„From then on, it happened more and more often, actually whenever I didn’t want to do something. He changed more and more, withdrew even more, into himself and the alcohol, so I became increasingly responsible for everything. When I was twelve, I basically did all the housework. I cooked, cleaned, did the laundry, took care of everything that came up. But I have also changed. I stopped saying no, just did what he told me to do. Maybe part of me had hoped he wouldn’t hit me so much then but he seemed to have got used to the feeling of doing it anyway. Whenever he did it, it was like he was in a frenzy. I don’t know if it was just from the alcohol but even though I think that played a part in it, I think at some point, he just took a liking to it. And one day I stopped fighting back because I knew it would only make it worse.“

He heard his mum sobbing and could hear Seto breathing rapidly beside him. Why was he the only one in the room who wasn’t as upset as everyone else? Why couldn’t he feel what they were feeling? The tears on his cheeks were a sign that it was in fact touching him, but why couldn’t he really feel it? What was wrong with him? Yet, the hardest part still laid ahead of him. But he would not get around it, it was time. Joey took a deep breath before continuing.

„I knew at some point that there would be no way out, that this was my life and always would be. I didn’t want this life. So I decided to put an end to it - to put an end to myself.“ At that moment, he could feel the atmosphere in the room changing, and he wondered again why he could detect this, but still, nothing in him indicated changed emotions. He couldn’t even think clearly about how far to go, it was as if the words were making their own way out of his mouth, as if he was no longer in possession of his full powers to control it. There was no other way, he was as if forced to keep talking.

„Hence the letters. I think we had discussed that briefly at Christmas. They were farewell letters. You got one, as did my friends. It was very vague. I did say that my dad played a part in it somehow, but I didn’t go into detail. My friends have been suspicious on and off over the years, but I was pretty good at covering it up, with Yugi being pretty persistent, he still is. But I still managed to keep it to myself - until Seto came along. It was true what I told you, at Christmas, for the most part at least. Seto didn’t get a letter from me because we weren’t friends back then. That’s changed, a lot.“

When Joey felt Seto’s hand on his cheek, he looked up at him. He looked so sad, but in his eyes, he could also perceive something else: Affection. Joey had the very brief feeling that his heart had stopped for a beat - or had he just imagined it? The very next moment, any hint of sensation was gone again, at least.

„It was true what I had said, that Seto had not taken me in voluntarily. My friends pressured him, threatened him, and his back was against the wall, just like mine. He was the one who had saved me from jumping, from that skyscraper. It was kind of strange to stand up there and know that it would all be over in a moment. I was also a bit scared, I mean, who isn’t scared of death? I think even people who make the decision to die themselves are afraid of what to expect. Whether it would hurt. Whether there is such a thing as heaven and hell or rebirth. To be honest, I was more afraid of being reborn and, in case of doubt, having to go through all that again. And then, suddenly, the one person on this planet I least expected was there. Well, not that I expected anyone at all because no one knew where I was, but then, my worst enemy Seto Kaiba absolutely had to show up. And sure enough, he showed up more or less at the last second. Pulled me back onto the roof when I had already detached my hands from the railing and was about to fall. He’s the reason I’m still sitting here today. Why I’m still alive.“

Joey looked up to find that he could see their faces more clearly again, their voices closer again and not so muffled. Were his sensations slowly coming back?

„He rescued me,“ Joey continued, „in more ways than I could have ever imagined because he didn’t just save me that day. It was weird because we didn’t really like each other at all but I kinda built up trust with him. And one day, I told him. He was the first person I trusted with the truth, and I still can’t say why actually. Maybe because he also told me things that nobody knew about him, not even his own brother. And we came to realise that we are not so different, in many ways. That there are many things that unite us, be it the experiences we have gathered or simply some trivial habits. He has shown me what a life in which one is happy can look like. With him, I feel liberated, alive, somehow valuable. It’s as if I’ve known him all my life, yet it’s only been a few months since we’ve seen the sides of each other that no one else sees. It was only through him that I understood what it actually means to be alive.“

He faltered for a moment, then said, „Until last week... until...“ And all of a sudden, out of the blue, he felt it, felt all the emotions flood back into his body, along with all the memories, with a force he couldn’t control, multiplied a hundredfold. He had never felt them as intensely as he did now, and it felt as if his body was also being completely swept away. He could no longer breathe, felt like the ground was opening up under his feet and he was going to fall. And he was falling, deeper than ever before.

~~~~

Seto was at his limit. Every fibre of his body ached. He could see his puppy recounting his past as if in a trance, and rage was growing in Seto that he could only control with great difficulty. He already knew a not inconsiderable part of what had happened to him but hearing it again in such detail almost drove him mad. He wanted to take away all the pain Joey had experienced in the last few years, give him everything he could, and if he had to fight all his life to make Joey see this life as worth living, he would.

But suddenly, something changed, Joey changed. He had seen this before with him, this was the moment when he started to feel something again, but it was still very different from usual. It was as if everything came at him at once, and Seto could see exactly that Joey couldn’t control it. He would fall if Seto didn’t intervene now. But he wouldn’t let that happen, never would he let him fall - or he would fall with him.

He took his face in both hands and looked at him. He had a panicked expression on his face, his cheeks were eerily flushed and his breathing was choppy. He was scared to death.

Seto shook him a little. „Joey, I’m here. We’re all here, do you hear me? You’re not alone.“ But that didn’t seem to help even one bit, it had absolutely no effect. Still, his breathing was erratic and the fear was clearly written on his face. Seto didn’t know what to do. What could he do to bring Joey back? He didn’t have much time to think about it because Joey needed help right now, and there wasn’t much left for him to do either, he would just try what he had tried the last time - talk. Even though it was incredibly difficult for him because there were other people in the room, but he couldn’t let that happen to Joey. He had saved him once, he would do it again, right now.

„Joey, it’s me. Seto. Can you hear me? Do you see me? Can you feel my hand on your cheek? He’s not here, my puppy, and I won’t let him ever come near you again. I’m so sorry I didn’t properly protect you, that he had the chance to hurt you again last week, but he’ll never be able to again. Ever. I’m gonna make sure of that. He’s gonna pay for everything he did to you. You hear me? Joey, stay with me. Don’t leave me. You are the most important thing in my life, I need you.“

Suddenly, Seto felt a lone tear running down his cheek. Was he crying? He couldn’t remember ever shedding a single tear, no matter what had happened. But seeing Joey here like this not only broke his heart, it broke every single bone in his body, and any attempt at self-control was absolutely futile. It was right what he said, he needed him in his life like he needed nothing else, except maybe Mokuba.

No, he wasn’t allowed to look after himself now, he had to help Joey. He pulled him close, bedded his head against his chest, behind which his heart was beating faster than ever before. He rested his own head on Joey’s hair, breathing in his scent for a brief moment before continuing to speak.

„I will always be with you. I promised you that you’d be happy, and I promise you again, you will. And if it’s the last thing I do, you’ll be happy. You’re strong, Joey, much stronger than you think. I’m so proud of you. Do you know that? Do you know what you did today? How much you’ve achieved? How much courage that takes?“

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Serenity and Joey’s mum both crying a sea of tears. He looked briefly into Elaine’s eyes and could see it, the love for her son, albeit hidden behind all the despair. But there was something else - Seto couldn’t quite interpret it at first, but it looked like some of that affection she was sending her son with her looks was also for Seto. He didn’t know exactly why that gave him the courage to continue but could imagine it was because they were so similar, she and his puppy. When Seto looked into her eyes, it was as if he was looking straight into Joey’s soul too. Was that also the reason why he could talk so openly right now, even with strangers around? He had simply started talking, had deliberately come closer to him without paying much attention to who was around them. Of course, this was also an absolutely exceptional situation, and Seto was forced to act, otherwise, his puppy would perish, and with it, he himself. A few months ago, he would have never thought to even think such thoughts, and now he just expressed them out loud them. Was it strange that it didn’t cost him as much overcoming as he had actually suspected?

Joey was still at his chest, interrupting him in his thoughts as he wrapped his arms around Seto’s body. Seto could feel the tears on his shirt, the trembling in Joey’s limbs, and he knew he was overcome with all the pain of the last few years. And he could feel it now too. Everything Gozaburo had done to him, all the pain he had locked away for so long. They shared a similar fate and the same pain, and even though there was usually something comforting about that, now it was more like their pain was doubled. He felt what Joey felt, all the anger, fear, confusion about all that had happened to them. But Seto could keep himself on his feet, he just had to, he had to pull Joey out of this hole, no matter how much pain he himself could feel now.

„They won’t be able to hurt us anymore, Joey. No one will hurt us anymore. We are stronger than that. Everything I feel for you is stronger than the pain I feel, that you feel. We can do this, together we can beat all of this.“

And suddenly, the scales fell from his eyes. The blond meant more to him than words could ever describe, at least that’s what he thought until now. Until he realised what all that meant, what he felt for him. Joey was his air to breathe, like the water to the fish, like the earth to the plants. Since he knew him, everything was different, he was different, and he liked who he was when Joey was with him. Joey made him happy, happier than he had ever been before. When they were apart, something was missing, he didn’t feel complete, couldn’t think of anything but him and his beautiful golden eyes. At night, he dreamed of him, even when he was lying next to him. He knew he would be lost without him. When Joey laughed, the sun rose for him, and when he cried, he felt pinpricks all over his body. Only with him did Seto realise what had been missing in his life until now. It was as if Joey was what he had always been looking for - and he had found it.

It was hard to sum it all up in one sentence, but he now knew exactly which sentence was the right one to do at least some justice to all the different feelings for Joey. Joey’s head was still against his chest and Seto leaned against it a little, feeling his hair in his face before he resumed. „I love you, Joey. Together we can do this, we’ll be able to beat the pain. But I need you for it. Come back to me...“ A second tear flowed down his cheeks and perpetuated itself in Joey’s hair. Still shaking like a leaf in his arms, Seto didn’t know if the blond had even heard him. His puppy needed a way to let the pain out so he wouldn’t have to be in their captivity anymore. Then, an idea came to him and he hoped that would help Joey to finally release the pain.

„Scream, Joey. Scream it all out, all the pain, the anger, everything you feel, no matter what it is. Let it leave your body. Scream!“ And Joey screamed - at first, it was just a tentative groan, then it got louder and louder, mingling with his sobs. It went through Seto’s marrow, made him tremble himself. Joey clawed at his shirt, weeping and emitting loud cries again and again. Until he became quieter again, his grip looser. At some point, he laid his head in Seto’s lap, and the brunet could see that all the strength had gone out of the blond, everything he had carried inside him for the longest time had been let out. His breathing was still rapid but was becoming steadier with every minute he laid there like that. Seto stroked his head gently, which seemed to calm Joey down, and Seto was glad to have such an effect on him again.

Seto stood up and lifted Joey with him, one of his hands in the back of Joey’s knees, the other supporting his back. Joey’s body was weak and limp but still, Seto could see how the pain had left his body. Then, Joey looked up at him, his eyelids flickering a little from the strain, but he heard him say, „Se...to...“

Seto propped his head up a little and looked deep into his eyes. „I’m so incredibly proud of you.“ Then he kissed him, and he noticed how Joey returned the kiss slightly, as much as he could just then. When Seto released the kiss, he more or less came back to reality, which he had blocked out heavily for the last few minutes because he had focused only on Joey. He had completely ignored the fact that they weren’t alone - but it didn’t matter, these weren’t strangers, they were Joey’s family. And no one knew better how important family was than Seto Kaiba.

Seto noticed Joey’s exhaustion taking control of his body. He turned to Elaine. „Is there somewhere Joey can rest for a bit?“ It must have taken her a moment to realise that she had just been addressed. Then she nodded. „Yes, my bedroom. Back there.“ It seemed she wasn’t really back in possession of her vocal abilities yet, but Seto understood and took Joey to the room Elaine had just pointed towards.

He closed the door behind them and they were alone for a brief moment. Joey was already almost absent, he was so weakened that there was no strength left in his limbs. He laid him on the bed and covered him a little. For a moment, Seto knelt beside the bed, stroked his cheek and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead. He needed rest more than anything right now, Seto knew that, and yet he found it incredibly difficult to break away. Just as he was about to stand up, he felt Joey’s fingers trying powerlessly to hold him. He could barely keep his eyes open, but still, he said, whispering and choppy, „Se...to...thank you...“ Then, his fingers went limp too and he fell asleep.

Seto left the bedroom, and as he pulled the door shut behind him, he leaned back against it for a moment, feeling the exertion of the last hour welling up inside him. But it had been important for him to show strength, he didn’t know if Joey himself would have had the strength to get out of the darkness again on his own. But he also felt liberated, simply because he felt that Joey had now finally allowed all the pain to happen, opening up the possibility for himself to let it go. And Seto’s own pain, which he hadn’t really known existed in him at all, had also left his body a little. Like two butterflies in the wind, their pain flew away now, without looking back again. They let themselves be carried by the wind, carried along by the currents of air, and looked ahead to a future where their pain would always be a part of them but no longer had enough power to dominate them.

Seto took another deep breath before returning to the living room. Serenity and her mum were in each other’s arms, crying, and he could hear Elaine muttering that she should have done something, should never have left him there. Seto stood close to her without being intrusive as he explained, „Elaine, you mustn’t blame yourself. Believe me, it’s not your fault. It’s all that bastard of a father’s fault who dared to do such a thing to Joey. Believe me, he won’t get away with it, not anymore, I’ve already made sure of that.“ They were both looking at him now, and despite the pain that clearly dominated the look in their eyes, he still saw another emotion: hope.

And when he looked at Elaine like that, a feeling came over him that he already felt with his puppy - that he could trust her. Again, he had to think that it was probably because they were just so similar, she and Joey, and the blond also had a huge talent for creating familiarity in an instant. One thing Seto admired insanely about him.

He took another step closer to Elaine and Serenity but was still a good three feet away from them. Then, he said, „Joey was talking about commonalities earlier. This is one of them. I have experienced similar things, though not quite as heavily as Joey, although he would probably disagree with me there. Believe me when I say you’re not to blame. Neither of you could have known, and I’m very sure that you, Elaine, had only Joey’s and Serenity’s best interests in mind when you broke up with their dad. When something like this happens, it’s often a very well-kept secret, for all sorts of reasons, Joey and I know that better than anyone. But I think this helped him tremendously today, so I want to thank you both for letting us be here.“

To give his words even more expression, Seto even bowed very slightly, if only indicated. When he straightened up again, Serenity ran up to him and hugged him tightly, which not only surprised him, but he could not handle it at all. The fact that he had just revealed so much of himself bordered on one of the seven wonders of the world, but he could not handle so much closeness. But he let it happen because he knew it was hard for Joey’s family now too, and if that was what his sister needed right now, he wouldn’t fight back. She still couldn’t expect a return of the hug, though.

Serenity eased away from him, and despite everything she had experienced today, she smiled slightly. „Thank you, Kaiba, for taking such good care of my brother. I didn’t know you were so close, even if I suspected it a little when we visited you for Christmas, but now I see it very clearly, and I’m very glad he has you.“ Again, tears came lightly to her eyes, which she wiped away, and then said, „I’ll go and make us a pot of tea. I think we could all do with that now.“ And while Serenity headed off to the kitchen to make tea, Elaine sat back in her chair. Seto also sat down on the sofa, and immediately, he missed the presence of his puppy, who meant the world to him.

~~~~

When Joey woke up again, it was pitch dark outside and he struggled to understand where he was. It wasn’t the hotel room, he could tell that much. In a brief moment of panic, he wondered where Seto was, but then it all came back to him, everything that had happened in the last few hours, and he sank back into his pillows to process these thoughts.

His family knew now, but he had been so focused on himself that he hadn’t noticed their reaction at all. And if he hadn’t been with himself, it was Seto whose words and touch he could feel, alongside all the pain that seemed to take over his whole body. He had screamed as he had never screamed before, and it had felt good. He could feel now how dry his mouth was, probably from all the tears and the loud and quiet screams. Yes, he had hoped before that he would be able to feel everything again, but when that actually happened, it was worse than anything he had ever felt before. But besides the feeling of pain and also the anger and all the fear, there was again everything he felt for Seto. And he had been there, had not left him alone, as he had promised. Had said so much himself, even though they hadn’t been alone at all. Joey’s heart skipped a beat. He didn’t know if he could really remember everything correctly, though, because he was just so taken up with all the feelings that were hitting him at the same time.

Suddenly he faltered - had Seto told him that he loved him? Or had Joey imagined it? His cheeks grew hot at the thought that he might really have said it, but it could just as easily have been a figment of his imagination. But if he had said it, if Seto had really said it - how did Joey feel about it? Was all that he felt for Seto... love?

He took a deep breath. Joey had definitely experienced more than enough emotional chaos for one day; he would put that thought off until a later time. Slowly, he stood up, noticing a headache coming on. He was still very exhausted when he opened the door and went back into the living room. There, everyone was sitting and seemed to be talking, drinking tea, and suddenly, Joey was incredibly thirsty.

When Seto noticed him, he came up to him and pushed his cup into his hand, which he took and drank greedily. When he put it down again, he looked Seto in the eye. The brunet hadn’t said anything yet, nor had anyone else. Joey didn’t really know how he was feeling himself, but he noticed that he was no longer so overloaded with all the feelings, and also that he could think clearly again. As agonising as this experience had been today, it seemed to have been healing on the other side, and Joey was happy that Seto had been with him the whole time. So he tried to smile a little. Seto’s eyes widened and he put a hand to Joey’s cheek before asking, „How are you, Joey?“

Joey leaned a little against the touch. He couldn’t describe how happy he was to feel again, to feel him again, and all the warmth it brought out in him. „Better,“ he replied, trying to pull the corners of his mouth up a little more. Then, he broke away from Seto and went to join his family. He didn’t really know how to deal with them. So he just stood there and looked at them. There was silence for a few seconds, then they ran up to Joey and pulled him into a fierce hug. His mum found her voice back first. She brushed a strand of hair from his face, then said, „Thanks for telling us, Joey. I had no idea what you were going through and I’m so sorry. I promised you I wouldn’t blame myself, but I just can’t help it. I just wish I had noticed something and could have helped you because I would have, okay?“

Joey had to swallow hard and suppressed the tears that were already welling up again. „I know, Mum. I’ve always known that. And that’s exactly why you’re not to blame. Because no matter how bad it was, I always knew you loved me, and that you would never have wanted that for me. But it’s getting better now, I can feel it. When I came here today, I knew something was about to change. It was in the air. I don’t know, it’s hard to describe. And it wasn’t easy to tell it all and relive it, but I’m glad I did it and you know the truth now. It... it helped me, and I think everything will be better now, even if it still won’t be that easy.“

It was then that he felt Seto’s hand on his back. Joey turned his head and looked him in the eye, and even though he didn’t say anything, he knew Seto would be with him to fight this battle, to the bitter end, whatever that looked like.

They all disengaged from each other again and Joey had to yawn. He had just slept, though he didn’t know for how long actually, but he could feel the jet lag now adding up to his exhaustion. Seto took his hand, then asked, „Shall we go back to the hotel?“ Joey gave his hand a little squeeze and nodded to him, smiling slightly. Then, he turned to his Mum and Serenity again. „Thank you for letting us be here today. I know it wasn’t easy to hear all this, I do realise that, and I’m sure it will take you guys a while to process it too. But from now on, no more secrets. Please don’t be afraid to ask if you wanna know anything else. I feel like I’m ready to face it now. All right?“

Both his mum and Serenity nodded vigorously and the tears in their eyes found their way to the floor even faster under this movement. Joey let go of Seto’s hand and hugged his family tightly. He really loved them and was glad Seto had suggested coming here. He hoped to still feel the same optimism he was feeling right now when they would be back home, but for now, this was enough for him.

„Seto and I are here for a few more days. I don’t know how much time you have, but maybe we can do something now that we’re here. I’ve never been abroad either and I’d like to see some things.“

His mum smiled at him. „We’ll do that Joey, but for now, get some rest. It’s been a tiring day for you too.“ Joey nodded and looked back at Seto. „Shall we?“ 

As Joey opened the front door, he gave Serenity and his mum one last wave, then the door slammed shut and they stood in the stairwell, which was completely dark. Seto made an effort to press the light switch, but Joey stopped him, pulled him down a little and kissed him tenderly. He put everything he felt for his dragon into that kiss, closed his eyes to feel everything more intensely and was glad when that plan worked out. When their lips parted again, Joey said, „Thank you, Seto. I could never have done this without you.“ In response, Seto pulled him into another soft kiss, and when they broke away, Joey took his hand and they walked down the dark stairwell before leaving it and their fingers parted again. All the way back to the hotel, Joey could think of nothing but what Seto had done for him today. And of the boundless gratitude he felt, which he would never be able to express enough.


	16. Rescue me... from 50 Shades of Kaiba

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> For the first scene in the hotel room:
> 
> Bad Dog - Neon Hitch
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/3Helvt6G0qDoXIpFWgCp6a?si=8y9B-KNrTjyunT5rQD5Gkw  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emfJpbDuWqg
> 
> Keep you on a leash, tie you up like a bad dog  
> Taste me on your teeth when you bite like a bad dog (Woof!)  
> Like a bad dog  
> Beg and be a good dog  
> Or Imma put you down (Bang, bang)  
> Like a mad dog
> 
> For all the other scenes afterwards:
> 
> Something I Need - OneRepublic
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/5aIZ2jtxZ4o4GHQXTybkIa?si=Y1pQsNHUTN-Qn79SKUZCvQ  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_xvWdY6Gr4
> 
> And I had the week that came from hell  
> And yes, I know that you could tell  
> But you’re like the net under the ledge  
> When I go flying off the edge  
> You go flying off as well
> 
> And this one you’ll certainly wanna hear as well (you’ll know when):
> 
> 24 Préludes, Op. 28: No. 4 - by Frédéric Chopin, played by Rudolf Serkin
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/7oSVSk7p1qj8il2pUOnqc0?si=lo-YlWqGQWSECzIjdgvMYQ  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFZtXB-PFEo
> 
> ~~~~

When Seto woke up the next morning, he could still hear Joey snoring softly beside him. His blond hair was crisscrossed across his face and he looked so peaceful that Seto tried hard not to make a sound. Would he ever get tired of watching Joey sleep? Seto was almost addicted to it and was always glad when he woke up earlier than the shorter one so he could look at him for a few more moments. 

After a few minutes, Seto got up and continued to be careful to make as little noise as possible, and he seemed to succeed because Joey continued to sleep. He pulled the covers a little more under his chin as he slept and his legs wrapped around part of the duvet. His t-shirt slid up a bit, revealing part of his athletic torso. That was Seto’s cue - if he continued to stand here now, watching the blond move in his sleep and expose more bare skin, he certainly wouldn’t be able to control himself. It had simply been too long since he had last touched him like _this_.

The brunet went straight to the bathroom, got rid of his clothes and opened the door to the shower, which probably had room for a whole football team. He turned on the water and let the warm liquid from the rain shower run all over his body while he reviewed yesterday’s events in his mind.

He had many mixed feelings when he thought back to all that had happened yesterday. On the one hand, there was dismay at all that had been done to Joey, now that he knew the whole story. That, in turn, created a rage at this monster of a father, and his good intention to want to put him behind bars for as long as possible only intensified. But there were also many more feelings, feelings for his puppy who had so bravely faced the pain. He was just so proud of the way he had handled it. Seto had been aware beforehand that it wasn’t going to be easy, and he had braced himself for the worst. And in the end, exactly what he had feared had happened - Joey was gripped by emptiness and slipped further into apathy again, seeming to feel nothing until the point when last week’s events came up. Seto had felt so helpless at first, not knowing how to help Joey, but he seemed to instinctively have done the right thing because afterwards, drained as Joey was, he seemed to feel better.

And then, there was that all-encompassing feeling that so completely eclipsed all other sensations - love. He had realised this in a moment of greatest pain when he too could feel what had been done to himself. But the certainty that he could leave that behind when his puppy was with him made it obvious - he loved him, unconditionally. He had even told Joey, but he wasn’t sure how much the blond had really noticed, how many of his words in total had even got through to him. If he had heard, wouldn’t he have asked him about it by now? Last night, at least, he hadn’t, even if Seto had to admit that Joey had just more or less fallen into bed after the day, also because the jet lag must have drained him quite a bit in addition. Actually, it didn’t really matter whether he had heard it or not because the all-important question was: would he want to tell him again when he was completely sure that Joey was fully conscious?

When he heard the shower door open behind him, he was abruptly interrupted in his thoughts. He turned around and looked through the warm mist of water and the water still splashing down on him into two honey-brown eyes that were staring at him curiously - or greedily? Joey closed the glass door behind him and leaned back against it, hands on his hips. Seto was happy that his puppy was finally no longer ashamed of his own nakedness because there was absolutely no reason for it. He was beautiful, and the brunet was addicted to every single inch of that irresistible body.

„My eyes are up here, Seto,“ Joey said with a smug grin on his lips, and Seto couldn’t help but notice that he had indeed just eyed him from top to bottom. When he looked him in the eyes again, he could see the different currents in his iris which blew his mind so hard that he could barely get a word out. „Come here,“ he replied, almost in a whisper, and held out his arms to the blond, who accepted them with a smile and let Seto pull him into the warm rain shower.

Seto’s body responded immediately to the touch, his skin hot from the heat, and he realised Joey felt the same way. He pulled the blond close, his wet hair sticking to his face. His gaze was lustful, and already Seto was struggling to contain himself. While Seto was still lost in thought, Joey pulled him into a passionate kiss, biting his lower lip a little, signalling to him that he hadn’t just come to take a shower. No, he wanted more, and Seto felt the same way, but he wanted to make sure he was doing the right thing.

He nibbled the blond’s ear a little as he asked, „Are you sure you want this, Joey?“ Joey had been on an emotional rollercoaster ride yesterday and Seto was desperate to stop him from doing this for the wrong reasons, wanted him to really want to do it. The first thing he got in response was a moan that he could still feel all the way down to his toes. Then, Joey spread tender kisses along his neck, kissed his way down to Seto’s shoulder and bit him mildly.

That was enough. Seto pressed Joey tempestuously against the wall, the blond’s back against the cold tiles. They were no longer directly under the warm water now, but the mist still enveloped them with a warm heat that added to their inner fire.

Seto stood a little away from Joey, who looked greedily into his eyes. And as the taller one bridged the last distance between them, an arrogant smile on his lips, he said in response to the bite on his shoulder, „Bad dog.“ Joey licked his lips, and as Seto stood directly in front of him, he lifted the blond’s chin so that they could now look intently into each other’s eyes. Then, he added, „I guess you don’t know how to handle your master, huh? Maybe I should discipline you a little?“ Joey’s eyes widened, but Seto could see exactly that this was not fear - no, it was pure desire.

Laughing briefly as he saw the effect his dominance was having on Joey, he turned him around so that he was now standing with the front of his body against the tiles. He pressed him a little closer to the wall as his hands moved along Joey’s body. They stopped just short of his erection, which elicited a short whimper from the blond.

„If you behave, I’ll reward you,“ Seto said, pressing himself even closer to his puppy, grasping Joey’s erection and beginning to gently move his hand, eliciting a throaty moan from the blond. Then, he released the touch again and asked, „And if not, what do you think will happen?“

Joey pushed himself towards him with desire, his gaze veiled, before he replied, „You’re punishing me?“ Seto laughed diabolically. „I see you can follow me. So, rule number one, you don’t bite your master. You got that?“ Joey turned his head slightly in his direction so that he could perceive a little more of his facial expression. There was a slight smile on Joey’s lips and he nibbled on his lower lip, bringing Seto to the brink of madness. Then, the blond said, „I’ve just broken that rule. Don’t ya have to punish me now?“

Oh God, that was probably more punishment for Seto, who was now completely befuddled, and he had the feeling Joey was less interested in the reward than in the punishment. Seto again put his hand around Joey’s erection and slowly began to move up and down. He moved his lips very close to Joey’s ear, then whispered, „Don’t think this is a reward now. I forbid you to come. You may not until I allow you to.“

Joey started moaning loudly when Seto spanked him vigorously. „Rule number two, no one likes barking dogs. I don’t wanna hear a sound.“ He could tell how much physical effort this was taking from Joey. He almost held his breath as Seto massaged him over and over, increasing the speed at times only to slow down again. He wanted to delay and savour this as long as he could, even if it was a test of courage for Seto too. How long would he keep it up himself without just taking him at the spot?

He placed hot kisses to the blond’s neck and could hear Joey breathing abruptly. Seto withdrew his hand again and turned Joey’s head so that he had to look at him closely. He could see impatience flashing in his eyes, but he would torture Joey a little longer before giving him final satisfaction. „And now, my puppy, I want you to do it to yourself. And I want you to enjoy me watching you do it.“

He could see Joey’s red face colour intensifying a little and he paused for a short moment before he brought his own hand to his erection and started pleasuring himself. This was so hot that Seto had to wonder who this was actually punishment for now. Joey put his head back and breathed audibly but still suppressed the loud moan that would involuntarily take over the entire room. And Seto would want to hear it but just not yet, he had to be patient for just a little longer...

Nevertheless - his puppy followed his instructions without batting an eyelid. Seto stroked Joey’s back down, before saying, „Good boy. I want you to stop now. You will now cross your arms on your back and wait until I come back. You’re not allowed to touch yourself, and not a sound, understand?“

Joey bit his lower lip and obeyed. Seto stood sideways from him for a moment and kissed him full of desire - which obviously tempted Joey to give up his position and let a hand slide along Seto’s upper body. So Seto gave Joey another spank, this time a little harder than before. „What did I just say, puppy?“ Joey fought with all his might against groaning out loud and crossed his arms behind his back again. „Seto, please...“ he pleaded, giving the brunet an overbearing grin. Yes, that was exactly how he wanted him. With a firm grip, he took Joey’s chin between his fingers and came so close that the tips of their noses touched. „Not a sound, did you hear? If you don’t obey, I’ll leave you standing here without letting you come. You are, again, also not allowed to touch yourself. You will stay in this position until I come back, is that clear?“ Seto’s tone of voice did not allow any argument and Joey nodded, still breathing rapidly.

Satisfied, Seto turned around and left the shower cabin. He kept the water running so his puppy wouldn’t get too cold while he was gone. As much as he loved to torture him, he didn’t want to torture him that much. He grabbed a towel to rub himself a little dry before entering the bedroom and walking purposefully towards the wardrobe. He took one of his ties out of his suitcase - whatever he had brought it for, but now he was incredibly happy he had - and stood with his back against the wardrobe for a second. He took a moment to breathe for himself, feeling that this situation demanded even more self-control from him than it did from Joey. Then, he went to the bedside table and took out the lube before making his way back to the bathroom.

Joey had indeed followed his instructions, still standing there exactly as he had left him. Seto approached Joey again and turned off the water - his own heat would be enough to warm Joey, he was sure of that, and they would still be surrounded by the warm steam of water for a few more minutes.

As he turned Joey’s head so that he could engage him in a wild kiss, he pulled his arms even closer together at his back, causing the shorter man to sigh loudly. Seto bit Joey’s lower lip slightly in response. „What did I tell you? No sound. That was the last warning, do you understand me?“ In his eyes, Seto could see absolute ecstasy, and the brunet had to take a deep breath. Just a little longer...

He put the tie around Joey’s arms so that he couldn’t move them anymore. Then, he let go of him and walked a few steps further to the shower tray where he had placed the lube. It was dead quiet in the bathroom now since the water had been turned off, and his every step echoed in the shower cabin. He picked up the lube and said in his usual commanding tone, „Head forward, puppy. Don’t look at me.“ Joey obeyed immediately and turned his gaze forward to the tiles, waiting patiently, even though it wasn’t hard to tell how badly he really wanted it.

With a loud click, Seto opened the lube and took agonisingly slow steps back towards Joey. He wet a finger with the gel, brought it to Joey’s entrance and paused for a moment. „Don’t make a sound or I’ll stop immediately.“ And despite the fact that Joey had turned his head away and was staring at the wall, Seto could see him biting his lip to follow Seto’s instructions as much as possible. Oh, what a good boy he was...

Seto inserted the first finger and promptly moved with moderate speed. He felt the blond begin to tremble slightly as he tried desperately to suppress his otherwise immediate screams. Then, Seto added the second finger and Joey clenched his hands into fists, squeezing his eyes tightly. Seto could feel his sphincter slowly stretching, yet he still gave him some time to get used to the movement. Only after a few minutes did he add the third finger and Joey had to throw his head back, his face drawn by the silent screams he was not allowed to utter aloud. Seto’s movements became faster and faster and he could feel Joey throwing himself willingly against him.

And then Seto reached his limit. He could no longer bear to just stand here and watch his puppy enjoy what he did to him. He removed his fingers and immediately took possession of him. „Damn it, Joey, you’re too good for this world. Let go, scream for me.“ And that’s exactly what he did - let loose all the noises he had so eagerly suppressed for the last half hour. „Seto, aaah... please, faster... aah... please...!“

Seto increased the speed, driving into him even harder, made Joey’s moans even louder, and the noise was only amplified by the echo in the shower cabin. As they continued to move in unison, Seto undid the tie and tossed it into the farthest corner. Then, he pulled out of Joey, only to turn him around the next moment, lift him up and press him against the wall. Joey wrapped his legs around him and Seto penetrated him again, and it felt even more intense than before. He looked Joey in the eyes and kissed him stormily, making their tongues dance together.

Joey’s screams grew louder and louder until he said, „Seto... I... I...“ Seto rested his head on Joey’s shoulder and thrust with unchanged intensity. He could feel everything in Joey tense and kissed him wildly on the neck. Hoarsely, he whispered, „Come for me, Joey. Now!“ And he came as he had never come before, screaming Seto’s name. Only seconds after his puppy, Seto also found relief and pulled Joey’s body even closer to him, squeezing him strongly until his body gradually began to relax again.

When he slowly separated from Joey and put him back on his feet, he had to breathe heavily for a while. The blond didn’t seem to feel any different, bracing himself against the wall to keep his balance but was the first to find his voice again. „Seto, that... that was...“ That was as far as he got, though, and Seto couldn’t blame him - were there even words to describe how incredibly intense that had just felt?

„I know, my puppy. I know...“ And as their heartbeats slowly settled back into a normal rhythm, Seto turned the water back on and pulled Joey against him. For a few minutes, they just let the warm water run over them, neither saying a word. Seto hugged Joey and enjoyed his closeness, pulling the blond’s head closer to his chest. Joey was the first to disengage again, then grabbed the shower gel, spreading a little in his hands and started soaping Seto, and if they hadn’t already had that phenomenal sex, now would be the time, but Seto was still recovering from what they had just done. So he let Joey do it, soaping first him and then himself before the blond pulled him back into his arms and the water carried the soap residue on their bodies down the drain.

Seto turned off the water, but before they left the shower cabin, he pulled Joey closer to him again and kissed him, but this time tenderly, trying to put in all of the feelings he had for his puppy. When they separated, he felt it again, this strong connection to his puppy, and he hoped it would stay that way forever.

~~~~

Joey snuggled more firmly into the pillows and pulled the duvet closer to his body. He needed a moment now to recover from what they had just done.

When he had woken up earlier and Seto wasn’t lying next to him, he was overcome with panic for a split second, until he heard the sounds of the shower very quietly. He briefly thought about just lying in bed and waiting for his dragon, but then, he got this overwhelming need to be close to him. So he got up, and when he saw him standing there in the shower, still through the closed shower door, wrapped in warm steam, the hot water running all over his naked body, all self-control left his body and he became painfully aware of how long it had been since they had touched. Well, really touched, not just a brief, tender kiss on the lips.

The last week had been very tiring for Joey and Seto had held back with caresses accordingly. But when Joey woke up this morning, he felt a sense of relief. He hadn’t realised how incredibly exhausting it had been to keep this secret for so long, and now that his family finally knew, it was as if some of the pain had left his body. Of course, it distressed him that his mum blamed herself for some of it, and he couldn’t imagine the thoughts she must be having now. But they would be here for a few more days, and he felt he had the strength to be there for her now, and for his sister, even though he thought she had coped better than his mum.

At that moment, Seto came back into the bedroom, having just brushed his teeth and now heading for the wardrobe to get some clothes on. He was only wearing underwear and Joey had a second to look at him closely and realise for the millionth time how sexy and beautiful the brunet was. Would he ever feel any different when looking at him? Would this feeling ever wear off? Inwardly, Joey shook his head. No, he just couldn’t imagine that. It would never happen.

Seto pulled on some knee-length pants and a casual t-shirt and Joey’s eyes widened a little. When Seto turned to him and saw this, he couldn’t hide an amused smile. „What’s the matter, puppy? You like what you see?“ Joey couldn’t answer at first and signalled the brunet with outstretched arms to join him in bed. Seto laid down beside him and propped himself up sideways on his elbow, which Joey immediately did as well so that they could now look at each other up close.

„Of course I like what I see, you idiot,“ Joey replied with a grin. „And I’m surprised. I don’t think I’ve ever seen ya in shorts before. Or dressed so casually at least. Aren’t ya afraid of what people might think of the oh-so-great Seto Kaiba when they see ya like this?“ His grin intensified a little more as he noticed the astonishment on Seto’s face as if he hadn’t really thought about it at all. Then, he regained his composure and looked as confident as ever before replying, „No one will recognise me here because I’m not as well known in the US as I am in Japan. Or do you mind?“

With a jerk, Joey threw himself at Seto, who gasped in surprise. Joey kissed him frantically on the neck and cheek, then declared, „Never. You can wear whatever you want, I’ll always think you’re beautiful.“ Joey was now lying directly on top of Seto, who took the blond’s head in both hands and kissed him sensuously. Was Joey recovered enough for a second round yet? But before he could spin this thought any further, Seto’s phone rang on the bedside table and Joey let go of him but not without expressing his annoyance at the sudden disturbance with a sigh.

Seto looked at the display and showed it to Joey - his mum? The brunet handed him the phone so he could answer it himself, and Joey tapped the green handset to take the call.

„Hey, Mum!“ he said cheerfully, realising that he wasn’t pretending it - he actually felt that way, even if he felt that after yesterday, well, actually after all of last week, he should still have at least a few negative feelings left in him. Maybe that was just due to this insanely great morning, and he didn’t want to over-analyse everything again now - he just wanted to be happy, and if that was only for one day, then that was already more than he could have imagined a few days ago.

„Hey, Joey,“ he heard his mum reply on the other end and was relieved to notice that her voice also carried a hint of cheerfulness. „I was able to take the day off spontaneously and Serenity is also off school at noon. So I was wondering if we’d all like to meet for lunch later and maybe explore the city a bit afterwards?“

Joey was immediately on fire. „Absolutely! Can Seto come too?“ Her laughter that followed was almost infectious. „Of course. I can hardly imagine you taking a single step without him. Honestly, I saw what a unit you form yesterday, and who am I to want to tear that apart.“ Joey blushed - did they seem like that to others? They had always tried very hard to hide it as best they could, but yesterday, Seto had let the walls down, even if Joey didn’t really understand why yet. But it had given him a taste of what it might be like when they no longer had to hide it, but he was well aware that it was still a long way from telling the general public. Joey sighed, if only he could at least count patience among his strengths....

„Well, will you send me the address where we’re meeting? Actually, uh, you’d better send it to this number here, it’s Seto’s mobile. Not at all sure my phone works that well here.“ Then, they said their goodbyes and Joey looked forward like a little kid to being able to spend the day with his family - and being able to share all this with Seto felt almost surreal.

The address his mum had sent him was very close to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and they took the metro because Joey had vehemently insisted on it - after all, it was part of really getting to know a city. The whole ride, he had to stifle his laughter so badly due to the fact that Seto seemed so out of place because even though he was casually dressed, he couldn’t hide the fact that he was actually a rich, arrogant snob who would never stoop to voluntarily taking the metro.

When they arrived, they were already greeted with smiles by Serenity and Elaine, who led them down a quiet side alley and to an Italian restaurant. „This place is still quite an insider tip,“ Elaine told them, „because tourists rarely stray here. Besides, the restaurant is quite small and inconspicuous, it’s easy to miss it if you don’t know what to look for. But trust me, this place has the world’s best pizza!“ In a good mood, Joey followed his family into the restaurant, Seto a few steps behind him. They were in public, so the brunet tried his best to keep his distance, and even though Joey already missed his closeness, although he was actually with him, he could understand that Seto couldn’t - or didn’t want to - act completely out of his character, after all, he had already taken a step in the right direction with his clothes today and had mentioned himself that no one here knew him. But who knew what the day would bring, maybe he would surprise him after all. You could never know with Seto Kaiba.

They ordered what their hearts desired, which in Joey’s case was the biggest pizza on the menu. He hadn’t eaten breakfast because they had been... otherwise occupied and there wasn’t enough time afterwards because the metro ride into the city had taken quite a long time. Everyone seemed to be avoiding the subject of yesterday, probably because no one really knew what else to say about it and not to spoil the cheerful mood. When their order came, Joey jumped at it greedily - after this morning, he could well use every energy boost he could get. And while they enjoyed their meal, they talked about everything under the sun, about how Serenity liked her school, how his mum had to train a new employee a few days ago and how nice the weather was in Los Angeles.

No sooner had they finished eating than Seto’s mobile rang, and as he glanced at the display, Joey could perceive a concerned expression on his face. He tried to see who was calling him, but Seto had already turned the phone so that he couldn’t catch it. „Will you excuse me for a moment?“ the brunet asked politely, getting up and leaving the restaurant so he could talk on the phone outside. Joey couldn’t help but wonder why he was being so secretive about who was calling him - he’d noticed perfectly well that Seto had intentionally turned the phone away from him a little - but he had to trust him. If there was something he needed to know, he would let him know.

Stuffed and a little sleepy from his full stomach, Joey rested his head for a moment on his arms, which he had laid on the table. He closed his eyes for a bit and took a breath when his mum started the conversation again. „Hey, Joey, why is Kaiba so different today?“

Curious, Joey lifted his head again. „Whatcha mean?“

„Well, he seems so formal today somehow. And aloof, too. When I saw you together yesterday, I didn’t think anyone would be able to separate you two at all, but today, it’s more like Christmas again.“ Joey sighed before replying, „It’s always like that. And I understand it, too. He’s in the public eye, Mum.“

That’s when Serenity joined in the conversation. „But do you always wanna keep it a secret? I mean, it might be okay now, but don’t you think it’s gonna get harder and harder the longer you’re together?“

„It already is,“ Joey replied with another groan. „When we get back, we’re gonna have to at least tell my friends.“ He faltered for a moment then. „Did Seto tell you guys what happened last week? I don’t think I‘d been able to bring it up yesterday...“ He blushed a little and had to lower his eyes. He didn’t really feel much like talking about it, but when his mum put a hand on his own, he lifted his head again and saw that she was smiling. „Don’t worry about it, Joey. Kaiba told us while you were asleep. And please don’t worry about us either, I do see this is bothering you.“ Joey was surprised. Was he really such an open book? „Really,“ his mum assured him, „it’s all right. Of course, it was a shock, it still is, I’d be lying if I said otherwise. But I know it was even harder for you. And I saw Kaiba’s face - honestly, Joey, if anyone can save you from it all happening again, it’s him. He tried to hide all that when we were talking while you were asleep, of course, but I’m a mum, after all, I have a sixth sense about things like that.“ She intensified her smile and Joey couldn’t help but return it, nodding at her in affirmation.

Suddenly, his mum seemed to zone out. Her gaze became unfocused, gradually, her smile also disappeared and she seemed absent. „Mum, are you okay?“ the blond asked worriedly, and she returned his gaze with identical concern. „Joey, I’d like to ask you something, if that’s okay? I don’t know if you wanna talk about it, and I can ask you about it another time if you want.“

Part of Joey definitely didn’t want to talk, but his curiosity was once again stronger than anything else. So he nodded again and gestured for her to continue. She took one deep breath, then said, „You were talking about... taking your life yesterday.“ She had to pause for a moment and Joey could see her breath catch for a second. He took her hand and squeezed it gently. This obviously gave her the courage to continue speaking. „How do you feel about it today? I mean, are you still planning on it?“

Joey cogitated on that question awhile. He hadn’t really thought about it that much. Of course, he had asked himself that question, but he had always been so preoccupied with his feelings for Seto that he had been able to suppress it successfully so far. But now that he was directly confronted with it, he could no longer do so. And now that he gave it a real thought, the answer to that question was actually not that difficult, which gave him a liberating feeling.

„No, Mum, I’m over that. Seto showed me that there can be a life for me, and even though last week threw me off a bit, I know that it’s actually over. I always thought I wouldn’t be able to live with the memories. But you know, Seto went through something similar. I don’t wanna go into too much detail because I don’t know if and what he told you, and I imagine he wouldn’t want other people to know much about it, but that connected us, it still does, every day. Even that night when he saved me from that skyscraper, he indicated that he could understand why I wanted to do it, and that there are people who break from their pain and people who come out of it stronger. Seto definitely belongs to the latter group, while I almost perished from it. But today, I know that it doesn’t have to be like that, that I am responsible for how I shape my life. Of course, the memories will always belong to me, but I know I now have someone with whom I can share this pain. And that gives me the strength to move on.“

Joey hadn’t even noticed how he had been staring holes in the air, lost in thought. When his gaze refocused on his mum, he could see tears streaming down her cheeks. Immediately, he reached out his hand again and squeezed hers to comfort her. „Mum, what’s wrong?“

She shook her head frantically, trying to calm herself so she could speak again. „I don’t know, I’m sad that this happened to you and that you even considered it, but I’m also happy because I see how happy you are now. How happy he makes you.“ She took out a tissue and dabbed the tears from her cheeks, took a deep breath and put on her smile again, which Joey instantly returned. And he had to agree with her too - Seto made him happy, very much so. He had swallowed his pride yesterday to pull Joey up from the depths and had said so many beautiful things....

And then, it came back to him. Hesitantly, he looked at his mum, who could smell a rat straight away. „What’s the matter, Joey? Come on, I can see there’s something on your mind.“ He gave this another thought. If he was wrong, he could make a complete fool of himself here, but what if it was true? Would he not want to know then? He had no choice anyway because once again, his curiosity got the better of him, so he couldn’t help expressing the question out loud.

Embarrassed, he had to avert his gaze before he asked, „What... what did Seto say actually yesterday? I’m not sure I caught it all because I was just so focused on myself.“

When no one said anything, he turned his eyes so that he could see their expressions out of the corner of his eye - and saw two faces smiling knowingly. Astonished, he now lifted his entire head again and waited for someone to say something. _Anyone_. He was getting impatient. „C’mon, whatcha know?“

Serenity grinned at him. „Hadn’t he told you before?“ Oh God, they were obviously going to torture him. And damn it, they succeeded. „Told me what, Serenity? Can someone please speak plainly?“

That’s when his mum chimed in again. „Oh, he said a lot of things, Joey. That he’s there for you, wants to make you happy and will protect you. Hmm, wasn’t there something else?“ Joey’s face turned red again, though this time not from shame but from pure anger. If they didn’t start talking, he couldn’t guarantee anything. He had to take a few breaths. There wasn’t much left for him to do, he had to get the question out or they would be beating around the bush all the time.

„Did he tell me he loved me?“ he brought out from behind gritted teeth. Then, it was quiet again for a moment and he heard Serenity giggle, whom he immediately gave a withering look. Rolling her eyes, she replied, „Oh, come on, Joey, we’re just kidding. Yes, he said he loved you. And if you ask me, he meant it too.“

Joey’s heart leapt. He hadn’t misheard, he had actually confessed his love to him. When others were around. Or were they just messing with him here, and he was falling straight into their trap? He looked at their faces - no, he could see that they were telling the truth, he knew them well enough to be able to judge that. Again, his heart skipped a beat. He didn’t really know what to do with this information. Was Seto even aware that he might have heard it? And how did he himself feel about it? What would have happened if he hadn’t been in that darkness? Would he have reciprocated it then? Would he have run away? Would he have cried? Well, he had done the latter anyway, at least for this one thing, it wouldn’t have made any difference.

Joey could no longer think clearly. He had to let it sink in and hoped that at some point, the scales would just fall from his eyes as to how he would feel about it. He didn’t have much time to think about it because from outside, he could hear an angry Seto Kaiba, who was probably bashing some staff member again. Joey lifted his head and looked outside, watching Seto pacing frantically, and couldn’t help grinning. This was a good opportunity to get out of here and maybe get some other thoughts. So he seized the opportunity, stood up, said goodbye with a quick wave and left the restaurant to check on Seto.

Once there, Seto just hung up. Annoyed, he grabbed his hair and Joey could see that his breathing was accelerated. He seemed angry, and Joey was, on the one hand, amused at how emotional Seto could get about his company, on the other hand, it worried him a little. He didn’t want the bad mood to spill over into today, he wanted his dragon to be happy too. 

Carefully and with slow steps, he walked towards Seto, who lifted his head and now noticed him too. They both stretched out their arms for a brief moment - until they realised where they were and that they were not alone. They lowered their arms back down beside their bodies as Joey asked, „Are you all right, Seto?“ Sighing again in annoyance, the brunet replied, „There was just something important I had to decide and that couldn’t wait. Really, Joey, I can prepare as much as I want, something always goes wrong in the end. I really don’t see what’s so hard about following the simplest instructions.“

Joey crossed his arms in front of his body, grinning. „Well, maybe giving your staff more freedom instead of confining them like that would help? I mean, isn’t your management style kinda like from the 1950s too?“

Seto sparkled aggressively at him. „So you think that if I let the biggest idiots in the world virtually run my company, anything good would come of it?“

Joey shrugged before replying, „I’m just saying. If they don’t learn to think for themselves and only follow instructions, how will they notice when they make a mistake? How will they be able to reflect on what they are doing if you always have them under your control like that?“

Seto’s eyes narrowed to slits, then he replied without thinking about it for even a nanosecond, „No.“

Joey waved it off defensively and gave a short laugh. „All right, all right, don’t look daggers at me now. It’s your company and I already know it’s not my place to say anything about it either. In the end, it’s all your decision. And honestly, we may disagree on that point, but at the end of the day, your company is hugely successful, and certainly not without reason. You’ll know best.“

When Joey looked back up at Seto after his monologue, he could see the surprise in his eyes, which gave way to amusement a short time later. „Since when did my puppy become such a tame kitten? Didn’t you used to totally go off on me if even a tiny bit of your own opinion differed from mine?“

Joey had to agree with a smile. And although the time he referred to had only been a few months ago, they had grown close enough that they could actually have civilised conversations today. When the blond really thought about it, he noticed that he actually didn’t go ballistic about the smallest things anymore. Seto had somehow grounded him, given him a calmness he never had before. And he had given him an environment and a life that helped him become a better version of himself.

After a brief moment of silence, Seto resumed the conversation. „The first call I got wasn’t from the company though. Joey, can we talk about something for a minute?“ He pointed to a bench opposite the restaurant and they took a seat on it. The small alley where the restaurant was located was completely empty and only subtle sounds of the main street carried up to them. Joey wondered what it was about this ominous phone call that he had been trying to keep secret from him earlier as he turned the phone away from him. Joey was all ears and turned a little in Seto’s direction to signal him just that.

Taking another deep breath, Seto said, „The first call was from the police. Joey, they found your dad.“ He had wanted to hide _that_? Why? Joey must have had confusion written all over his face. Wasn’t that a good thing then, that they had found him?

„So?“ asked Joey, really wanting to understand why Seto was making such a big fuss about this. Seto’s gaze softened as he replied, „I just didn’t know how you’d react. If it would trigger something in you or so. That’s why I wanted to be careful. How are you doing with this?“

Joey thought about this question for a moment before replying, „Pretty good, I guess. Has he been arrested then?“ Seto nodded. „Yes, they took him straight into custody. The evidence is simply very overwhelming. I was gonna call the prosecutor later to discuss the next steps, but it’s all gonna come down to a court case, which he can’t win at all.“ Suddenly, something changed in Seto’s expression and he looked at the blond uncertainly. „Joey, you will probably have to give a statement in court. Since you’re a relative, you can refuse to testify against him, but from my point of view, it would certainly help to put him behind bars for as long as possible. But I don’t want to put any pressure on you, and it’s not like you have to decide this now.“

Joey shrugged his shoulders. „Why not? To use your favourite metaphors, I’m certainly not gonna turn tail and hide in a dark corner like a mangy mutt.“ Joey put on his best, most confident grin and Seto clearly had a lot of trouble controlling himself not to just return that. Then, he added, „Besides, you’ll be with me, I suppose?“ Seto nodded and his features softened again. Joey’s smile intensified as he said, „Then nothing can go wrong. Now c‘mon, let’s go back inside, I’m in the mood for dessert!“

Full of vigour, Joey got up first and ran ahead but could still hear Seto whispering softly behind him, „Me too, but none of what I’d like is on the menu...“

After lunch, they set off on their sightseeing tour. It was already early afternoon, but the sun was still beating down on them with unchanged force when they reached the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Despite the fact that it was relatively crowded, Joey was immediately carried away with enthusiasm. The coral-pink terrazzo stars were shining beautifully and immediately captivated Joey. Many of the names on the stars didn’t mean anything to him, but there were definitely a few personalities that everyone had probably heard of. And as they made their way along the Hollywood Boulevard, following the path of the stars, Joey could see out of the corner of his eye that Seto was apparently looking for a very special star.

„Looking for something in particular?“ asked Joey addressing the brunet, who looked up at him briefly but just a second later continued his search. „Yeah, I thought it was supposed to be around here somewhere.“ Suddenly, his eyes lit up as he seemed to have found what he was looking for. „There he is.“ They stepped closer to the star. Rudolf Serkin. Joey had never heard the name before. Confused, he looked up at Seto, waiting for the taller one to enlighten him as to who this person was supposed to be.

„Serkin is a pianist, or rather was. He died in the early 90s,“ Seto explained.

„And you like his music?“

Seto nodded in agreement. „Yes, he was an outstanding pianist. But make up your own mind.“ Seto took out his mobile phone as well as the headphones, whose cable he carefully unknotted. He pointed his head to a bench where they sat down. Joey looked around briefly at his family, but Serenity and his mum were still a few steps behind them, looking more closely at the stars. The blond found this quite amusing, after all, they had been living here for nearly ten years and could still get so excited about it, even though Joey was sure they must have been here dozens of times before.

Seto handed him his part of the headphones, which he put in his left ear, and Seto did the same, putting his headphones in his right ear. He opened his music app and apparently searched for the right song. When he found it, he told Joey, „This is 24 Préludes, Op. 28 No. 4 by Chopin, played by Serkin. That’s my favourite.“ Then, he pressed ‚play‘ and Joey perceived the first notes of the piano composition.

Joey thought there was something melancholy about it somehow, but also something romantic. It kept slowing down and then speeding up, getting louder and then softer again, and Joey felt that the ending should seem kind of sad, but at the same time, it felt so hopeful to him, peaceful. As if everything would just work out in the end, and Joey hoped that this could be applied to life as well.

  
It was just a short piece and they listened to it on an infinite loop. Just sat next to each other, indulged their thoughts. Joey was reviewing the day so far. It was amazing how many different sides he had seen of Seto again today. Anyway, he had to admit that the brunet had many different facets in him. He could be arrogant and commanding, but also seemed to have a strong protective instinct when it came to Joey or Mokuba - or his company. He could be loving and tender, but also sexy and incredibly hot. Joey was amused at himself when he gave Seto the expression ‚50 Shades of Kaiba‘. Yet, the comparison wasn’t so wrong when he really thought about it. In fact, he had a frightening amount in common with Christian Grey - handsome, filthy rich, his own company, dominant appearance, adopted, difficult childhood. However, everything changed with Grey when he was adopted, and it did with Seto, too, but unlike Grey, his life initially developed in a negative direction until he gave it a positive turn again on his own. Okay, well, Grey also wasn’t into men, so that couldn’t be counted among the similarities either.

Joey continued to think about their childhood. Grey’s first years of life had been marked by a drug-addicted mother who had not cared for her child and had just left him to fend for himself. What had Seto’s parents been like? He realised that Seto had talked about Gozaburo but never really about his biological parents. In any case, he must have been old enough to have formed deep memories with them. Now and then, he had hinted that he still thought about them, for example when it came to Christmas. But how had they raised him? What kind of child had Seto been? Had they loved him and Mokuba? How had Seto felt when they had died? And how exactly had that changed him? 

The blond pulled his legs up to him on the bench, wrapped his arms around them and rested his head on his knees. Joey realised that there were still so many questions about Seto that remained unanswered. Maybe he would find out the answers eventually, but he would not put pressure on him. Seto had never pressed him either, Joey had always decided for himself how much he was willing to tell, at least that’s how it always seemed to him so far. And even if his curiosity almost killed him, he would want to handle it the same way with Seto. Besides - they hadn’t been together officially for that long. What were a few months compared to the time that still laid ahead of them?

Joey now put his head sideways on his knees so that he could look at Seto, and was surprised to find that he was looking at him gently. There was still a lot of hustle and bustle around them, so they continued to keep their distance and Seto’s expression also seemed rather inscrutable to everyone else, but Joey could see the subtle nuances in his eyes that signalled warmth and trust. Joey put a slight smile on his lips and for a moment, they just looked into each other’s eyes, communicating the different feelings they had for each other. Then, Joey said, „I would love to kiss you right now, you know that?“ Barely perceptible unless you were standing or sitting directly in front of him, the corners of Seto’s mouth lifted, only very minimally and again only for a split second. But it made Joey happy because he could see exactly that Seto would return the kiss.

They let the song play through one last time, then Seto put the headphones and his phone back in his pockets and they rose from the bench to check on Joey’s family, who had obviously moved past them by now, coming to a stop a few feet away at a star apparently dedicated to a very famous actor.

After the group had gone to a nice cafe and had delicious ice cream - which was absolutely necessary when the temperature outside was over 20 degrees Celsius, in Japan, they were lucky if they just passed the 10 degrees mark and it didn’t rain for a day - they went to Venice Beach to watch the sunset. When they got there, the sun was already starting to set, and Joey and Serenity immediately ran towards the beach. Seto stayed close behind, but still enough of a distance to not cause a stir. Joey was in high spirits, and the brunet stood beside him at the water’s edge. Serenity had pulled her mum closer to the water too, but they were standing a few feet away and out of their reach. Joey started splashing Seto with water and couldn’t stop laughing. He felt so liberated and carefree, and this despite having gone through one of the hardest days in his life yesterday. The blond stopped playing with water when he saw that Seto looked like a watered poodle - who was the puppy here now?

Still smiling intensely, he took a step closer to Seto. He would so much like to touch him, but he respected that Seto could not - not yet. He did not give up hope that it would be different someday. Then, he said in a loving voice, „Thank you, Seto, for being with me yesterday and bringing me this far. For helping me to let the pain in and with that, let it out a little bit. It will always be a part of me, but I know you will always be there, listening to me and understanding me...“

Seto’s eyes widened and Joey could literally feel the longing that was in his gaze. The brunet’s gaze softened a touch more as he replied, „No need to thank me, my puppy. I will always be with you whenever you need me. And probably even when you don’t. And we both carry the pain inside us, all that we have experienced. They say ‚a sorrow shared is a sorrow halved‘, and I have to agree. I just never met anyone before you that I wanted to share it with.“

Joey’s heart leapt and he couldn’t help but realise how much what Seto had just said applied to him as well.

The family also spent a lot of time together over the next few days. The following day, they visited the Rodeo Drive, where Seto wanted to buy him all kinds of clothes that would have been worth more than his annual income at the cafe, which is why Joey had flatly refused to accept that. They also went to the Universal Studios, where Joey was particularly fond of the roller coasters and had to think back to the day when they had been at the Christmas market. They also went to the beach more often, including on their last evening. They would fly back very early the next morning, so they had to say goodbye to his family already in the evening. This goodbye was tearful, as expected, but Joey was glad that they had actually managed to meet up again so soon. It was just what he had needed after the last week, and he was glad to have been able to share these happy memories with Seto.

As they laid back in bed in their hotel room on their last night, they chatted about what would await them at home when everyday life would take hold of them again. Joey was resting the back of his head on Seto’s belly and looking up at the ceiling, deep in thought, when he suddenly felt Seto’s elegant fingers in his hair. That so familiar touch still sent a comforting shiver throughout his body and his scalp tingled wherever he touched it, even if only very lightly. He had to close his eyes for a bit, simply to enjoy the moment to the full.

„What are you thinking about, my puppy?“ asked Seto, not stopping with the caresses. Joey opened his eyes and replied with a sigh, „I was just thinking about what will await us back home. We’ll have to tell Yugi, Tristan and Téa. I owe them that, Seto.“

The brunet also heaved a sigh. „I know. I was hoping for it to be a little different, but things don’t go according to plan with you anyway.“

„Huh? What d‘ya mean?“ Was Seto alluding to anything in particular? He seemed deep in thought and actually torn. Was there something he hadn’t told him? Had he missed something? Seto hesitated and did not answer immediately, which rather confirmed Joey’s impression. But he knew he wouldn’t be able to get him to talk if he didn’t want to tell him voluntarily. He could only trust that it was nothing that would afflict them, both of them.

Then, Seto shook his head. „Not so important. I would suggest we invite your friends to the mansion and tell them there.“

Joey nodded. „I know it’s probably difficult because you can’t stand them and all. But I’d really like you to be there. I wanna tell them about my dad too. Not as in-depth as I told Mum and Serenity, but I think they really deserve a bit more info after all they’ve done for me.“

Seto sat up and pulled Joey up with him. They were now both sitting cross-legged opposite each other and while Seto’s left hand held Joey’s right, he gently ran his right hand over the blond’s cheek. „If you want me to be there, I will be. I told you I’d be there if you needed me. Although I have to agree that it’s gonna be challenging for me, to say the least.“

Joey smiled, took Seto’s hand from his cheek and kissed it tenderly. „I know, Seto, and I really appreciate it. I’ll end up talking a lot more anyway, just let me do it, but it helps tremendously when you’re just present. I don’t know, you’re encouraging me, even if you don’t say anything. Does that make sense?“

Seto returned his smile as he said, „It does, my puppy. And I feel the same way about you.“ Seto pulled Joey closer to him by his t-shirt, and as their lips gently touched, the butterflies in their bellies danced the tango.


	17. Rescue me... from playing hide and seek

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> Sucker - Jonas Brothers
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/22vgEDb5hykfaTwLuskFGD?si=WhGEoqsFRRqhBsc4CUSy0w  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnAmeh0-E-U
> 
> I’m a sucker for you  
> You say the word and I’ll go anywhere blindly  
> I’m a sucker for you, yeah  
> Any road you take, you know that you’ll find me  
> I’m a sucker for all the subliminal things  
> No one knows about you (about you) about you (about you)  
> And you’re making the typical me break my typical rules  
> It’s true, I’m a sucker for you, yeah
> 
> ~~~~

Seto and Joey packed the last things into their suitcases, then they left their hotel room. The blond didn’t really know how to feel. He was looking forward to seeing Mokuba again, and indeed his friends. But how would they react to everything he had to say? He was at least convinced that it wouldn’t be quite as nerve-wracking as telling his family. Still - he was a little afraid of their reaction anyway, and he was glad that Seto had agreed to be with him, even if it was clearly a challenge for him.

As they got into the limousine that would take them to the airfield, he could hear Seto’s mobile vibrating incessantly. The brunet had annoyance written all over his face, probably because he thought there were a lot of problems in the company again. But as soon as he lowered his gaze to his phone display, it turned into surprise. Curious, Joey leaned a little over to him, hoping to spy what was astonishing his dragon. This time, he didn’t hide the information, even held the phone a little closer to Joey - and the blond could see lots of messages from his mum pop up. What the...

And when Seto opened the messages with a still astonished expression on his face, suddenly, many pictures popped up on the display that had one thing in common: they showed Seto and Joey, together. Joey’s jaw dropped as they scrolled through the pictures. His mum had obviously taken every opportunity to take an uncountable number of pictures of the two of them over the last few days. Of course, the pictures were taken when they were in public, which was why they kept an appropriate safe distance, but still, they were photographed in all sorts of situations - Joey and Seto on the metro, Joey and Seto eating ice cream at the cafe, Joey eating the oversized pizza at the Italian place, and Seto’s fascinated look to it, Joey and Seto on the bench on Hollywood Boulevard listening to classical music together, Joey and Seto on the beach, Joey splashing Seto and Seto standing apparently impassive - Joey and Seto, in all existing shapes and colours. Joey couldn’t stop marvelling, and Seto seemed to feel the same way. When had his mum taken all these pictures, and more importantly, why hadn’t they even noticed?

But then, Joey suddenly realised what these pictures meant to him. They had had pictures of each other before, but never ones where they were both in them. These were their first photos as a couple, even if it wasn’t recognisable as such from the outside. Joey was taken over by a deep joy that he could not grasp or describe. He started squealing and bouncing around cheerfully. During the whole ride, he looked at the photos again and again, and then again and again from the beginning. And Seto seemed to be happy about it too, even if he could hide this joy much better than Joey.

Before they boarded the plane, Joey instructed Seto, „As soon as we get back to Japan, you send me all the pictures, got it?“ With a very slight smile, he nodded and wanted to take the phone out of Joey’s hand again, but the blond had absolutely no intention of letting this precious treasure be taken away from him now. He wanted to spend the whole flight back looking at all of the photos again and going over the many beautiful memories of the last few days repeatedly. He knew that would help him to forget the nervousness of what awaited him at home.

As soon as they touched Japanese ground again, however, he could feel it, this fear of what was about to happen. Even during the helicopter ride back to the Kaiba mansion, he thought back and forth about what the best way would be, but nothing he could think of felt like the right solution. He hated to admit it, but in this case, the Kaiba way would probably be the best: think first, make a plan, and then act. Joey usually acted more on impulse and rarely planned things out in detail. But this time, it was important for him to have at least a basic framework.

Back at the mansion, they were immediately greeted by Mokuba, who ran towards them beaming with joy and hugged first his big brother, then Joey. „I’m so glad you’re back! It was really boring without you guys.“ Joey laughed and ruffled the teenager’s hair. Mokuba pulled Joey by the hand through the corridors, and due to the younger Kaiba brother’s youthful impetuousness, Joey had trouble keeping up. „Come on, I wanna hear all about your trip first!“ he shouted and pulled them into the dining room where he had already had lunch brought. And when Joey heard his stomach growl, he was quite happy to finally get some delicious food.

Joey sat down in his usual seat, Seto choosing the chair right next to him. The blond looked at Seto and, smiling, placed a hand on his thigh, which he took and squeezed for a brief moment. There was so much affection in Seto’s gaze that Joey couldn’t take his eyes off him. He had an incredible urge to take his face in both hands and kiss him, but then, he remembered that they weren’t alone, and even if Mokuba knew about them, exchanging caresses in front of him still didn’t feel right - wouldn’t be the first time, but he still preferred it that way. So he devoted himself to his meal, as hard as it was.

While they ate, Joey told Mokuba pretty much everything they had been doing. He only touched vaguely on the conversation with his family because he wasn’t sure how much he really wanted to reveal. And when all was said, his thoughts took him back to what was ahead. The plates were cleared, then he looked at Seto and explained, „We should make a plan, I think, for Yugi and the others.“ Seto raised an eyebrow in surprise. „I never thought I’d see this happen. _You_ wanna make a plan?“ Amused, the corners of Seto’s mouth twitched, for which he earned a jab with Joey’s elbow and Mokuba laughed in amusement.

„But seriously, you’re right,“ Seto replied in a now serious tone. Mokuba looked back and forth between them, confused. „What plan?“

Joey let out a sigh before answering, „Before we flew to my family, we ran into Yugi, Téa and Tristan at the police station. And honestly, after all they witnessed, we owe them more than just one explanation. Not just in terms of my past, but also in terms of Seto and me.“ He rested his head on his arm, which he had laid on the table in front of him. „I just have absolutely no idea how to begin.“

„Hmm,“ Mokuba pondered aloud. „So, as far as I understand it, the situation as it is now only came about because of what you were actually planning to do before Seto stopped you. At least that’s the reason why you’re staying with us. And that, in turn, only came about because of what you experienced, I suppose, even if I don’t know all the details, of course. Why don’t you start at the beginning? Then I’m sure they can follow you best.“

The blond raised his head and was amazed, not for the first time, at how easy it was for Mokuba to make plans. That was usually Seto’s job, and he was damn good at it, Joey had to give him all the credits for that, but he was probably too emotionally involved in the matter to be completely neutral here. And Mokuba was also a Kaiba, they were probably born with it. And once again, Joey couldn’t help but wonder what the first years of their lives might have been like, but he had to pull himself together. He could really only focus on one misery at a time now, and this one in particular unfortunately involved himself.

„But how much should I tell ’em?“, Joey spoke aloud the question that burned most on his mind and rested his head back on his arms. He was frustrated because this was the same question that always gave him the most headaches. Only when he had told Seto about what had happened back at the seaside, somehow there had been no questions. He had just told him without giving it much thought. Maybe because he didn’t have any feelings for him yet and therefore didn’t worry about what the other person would think of him afterwards? Or how he would feel knowing that about Joey? Maybe that was part of the answer, but wasn’t there actually more to it? Had he still only felt contempt for him at that point, or had he not unconsciously already begun to see Seto in a different light than before?

He felt a bad mood rising in him because he couldn’t find the exit in his thought carousel when he felt Seto’s hand on his head, gently stroking his hair. Joey turned his head in his direction to look at him. „The same applies here as for your family,“ the brunet explained without stopping the stroking on Joey’s head. „As much as you’re willing to tell. Though I’d appreciate it if you didn’t go into too much detail about us.“ Joey had to grin - he knew exactly what Seto was trying to say, but he certainly wouldn’t want to give that much away.

Sighing, Joey lifted his head and pulled his phone out of his pocket. „I think I should start by inviting them here. Why put it off when it’s inevitable anyway, right? Should I ask them if they’re free this afternoon? After all, today is Sunday, tomorrow, we’re back to school, and I want them to know beforehand, I want nothing to come between us after tomorrow. And, honestly, I just wanna get it over with.“ Seto nodded, and Joey could see a hint of tension in his eyes as well, as he unlocked the phone and typed a message to his friends.

Fortunately, the group actually had time that same day and Seto and he discussed a little more in detail how they would go about it. Joey’s nerves were frayed and his nervousness was increasing immeasurably by the minute. They were waiting in the living room for his friends to arrive, and Joey was pacing tensely when Seto put a hand on his back. „We’ve talked this over, Joey, it’s gonna be all right.“ Reassuringly, he stroked his back with his hand, and normally, that would relax him, but it had little effect at that moment.

And then, someone from the staff entered the room and announced Yugi, Téa and Tristan, who entered the room the next second. For the blond, it felt somehow unreal. Sure, he had been with them in the mansion before, for New Year’s Eve or his birthday, for example, but those were completely different occasions. This one today was serious, and he was glad when he could finally get it over with. Still, wasn’t it kind of strange to invite his friends to the Kaibas‘ house, where he was actually just a guest as well? But when he thought about it, it fit quite well with the current situation and also with the last few months, which had felt just as surreal to him. Besides, as if the last few months could even be described as normal.

He noticed that Seto had put on his typical mask again and put some distance between himself and his friends as soon as they stepped into the room. As if that would still do any good now, after all, they wouldn’t be keeping it a secret much longer. But he was Seto Kaiba and couldn’t get rid of old habits so quickly. And his contempt for his friends was written all over his face. Great, off to an amazing start...

Joey straightened his shoulders and tried to put on a smile, but he had the feeling that he wasn’t really successful. He took a deep breath before greeting them. „Hey, guys, good to see you.“

„Hey, Joey! You got a real tan,“ Yugi said, his smile taking a little of the tension out of the situation, and Joey’s smile felt a little more genuine now too. He nodded and motioned for the group to take a seat. They sat down on the sofa while Joey sat cross-legged on an armchair opposite them. Seto, as usual, kept his distance, standing leaning against the wall next to the door, his arms folded in front of his body and an impenetrable expression on his face. 

„Yeah, the sun in Los Angeles was really great, just what I needed. This dank rainy weather here in Japan really can’t compete with that, I can tell ya.“ Joey grinned at his friends, who returned his glare. „Glad to see you’re obviously feeling a bit better, Joey,“ Téa said, but in her eyes, he could see the curiosity to find out what they were actually here for.

It couldn’t be helped, he wouldn’t be able to escape this situation, and he was getting tired of this game of hide and seek, although he had wished for a bit more time to plan out the reveal properly. He could well imagine that Yugi and the others had already spun their own ideas in their heads about what it all meant, and the blond wanted too much to be a fly on the wall for a second.

Joey looked at Seto for a moment, and with his gaze, he wanted to tell him not to dare even think about escaping. They had to go through this together. For a brief moment, Seto’s gaze softened and he nodded barely perceptibly. Then, Joey turned back to his friends and took another deep breath before he began to talk.

„Well, I’ve already written briefly what this is about. I think I owe you guys an explanation. A bunch of explanations, actually. Before I start, I just wanna say again how grateful I am to you. For taking care of me. Not just last week, but all the years we’ve been friends. I know I haven’t always made it easy for you guys, but you’ve always been there, even when I’ve stonewalled it a lot.“

„Matter of course, dude,“ Tristan said, who was his oldest friend out of the group. Joey had lowered his gaze to his crossed legs, but now, he lifted his gaze again and looked into three pairs of expectant but encouraging eyes. The blond called to mind again that these were his friends here, who wouldn’t just leave him hanging no matter what he said. And Seto was here with him too, which gave him the strength to keep talking.

Joey nodded with a smile as he continued. „Well, I’ll start from the beginning because it’s important to understand why I’m here today in the first place and why this happened last week. I’ve certainly heard the rumours that people are saying about me - or rather, about my dad. And what I can tell you is: they are true. My dad started drinking shortly after my parents got divorced, and that’s when the violence started. I’ll spare you too many details, but it was so bad in part that I couldn’t go to school because I was just too hurt.“ For a brief moment, he had to pause and take a deep breath. He could feel it all hitting him again and his heart was racing. Scattered tears ran down his cheeks and he glanced briefly over at Seto - he hadn’t moved an inch, but he had concern written all over his face, even in a way that other people besides Joey would recognise. That told him that seeing Joey like that really distressed him, and somehow that reassured the blond. He wasn’t alone because Seto was by his side, and that just had to give him the courage he needed right now to open up to his friends.

Then, he turned his gaze back to his friends, whose expressions were no less concerned. Joey gathered all his courage and continued speaking. „He’s gotten away with it pretty well, all these years, and quite honestly, I’ve contributed to it too. Lied for him, put on a grin at school and covered it all up. I know you’ve tried to get the truth out of me time and time again, but I’ve had years of practice. And I knew that if it came out in any way, I’d be in for worse. I’m really grateful that you tried again and again, but there was nothing you could have done. You probably would have made things even worse if you had, I don’t know, gone to the police or something.“

Silence fell between them for a moment and Joey had to think about how he wanted to proceed. As to his past, he had said what needed to be said, he would not go into further depth unless his friends asked him specific questions. However, it looked more like they wanted to let him talk and accepted that he only wanted to reveal as much as he had decided himself. The blond took a deep breath. It didn’t help, he had to talk about what he had planned to end his own life.

„In the end, I just felt it wouldn’t work anymore. Even if the violence stopped at some point, the memories would stay, and they would stay forever. I couldn’t live with that because even worse than the physical pain was everything he did to me psychologically. He had very great power over me, could control and manipulate me. And he can still do that a little bit, I realised that last week when he honestly attacked me quite surprisingly. I didn’t expect to see him again, at least not so soon and certainly not involuntarily. Anyway, at that point, I had decided that I didn’t wanna go on living like that. And what I was gonna do then, you know...“

A little ashamed, Joey lowered his head. He knew how much he had done to his friends, how much grief he must have caused them, and he felt guilty for that. But in the end, everything turned out differently than he had planned, after all, he was only sitting here because his friends did not want to accept his decision - and today, he knew that it was a good thing that they had been so stubborn, and it made him happy to know how much he obviously meant to them.

Yugi was the first to break the silence that had once again spread through the room. „And how... do you feel about it today?“ He couldn’t blame him for asking that question, his family had asked him the same thing, but by now, he knew what his answer would be. And the fact that he knew it so well gave him back some of his self-confidence and a small smile came to his lips, even if he still had the feeling that the next part he had to tell would be even more difficult than what he had just revealed.

„Today, I have a slightly different attitude towards it. And that has mainly something to do with what has happened over the last few months. I...“

„Joey,“ he was abruptly interrupted by Seto, whom he saw coming towards him. The brunet was now standing right next to him and handed him a small stack of paper, but Joey refused to accept it at first. „Is that really necessary?“ he asked irritably. Seto raised an eyebrow before replying, „We discussed this, didn’t we?“

For a brief moment, their eyes dueled, but in the end, Joey knew he wouldn’t stand a chance. He would have to comply, albeit reluctantly. So he took the paper from his hand. „’kay, fine by me, but you sit down right there!“ He pointed authoritatively to the chair next to him, which would nevertheless ensure enough distance between them if Seto really wanted it that way. That really wasn’t too much to ask!

Rolling his eyes, Seto gave in and sat down on the armchair next to him, legs and arms crossed, his displeasure clearly written all over his face. But Joey smiled because he was getting his way. A relationship was full of compromises, after all, and this one was going to be just one of many they would probably have to make in the future. Joey was a bit amused about himself - as if he knew much about relationships.

Joey rose from his seat and walked over to his friends, handing them each several pages of the paper. As he handed out pens, he resolved their confusion by explaining, „These are non-disclosure agreements because moneybags over there is afraid that any of what I’m about to tell ya will get out.“ He could hear Seto snorting angrily behind him but ignored him. If he had his way, they wouldn’t need to do this because he knew he could trust his friends blindly. Seto didn’t, though, and since he had more to lose than Joey, he had to follow Seto’s lead on this.

None of his friends made the slightest effort to read through the whole thing. Rather, they were curious to know what this was all about, wanted to know the whole story and understand it. They quickly signed the documents and Joey collected the now signed pamphlets again, walked towards Seto and handed them to him. „Ya happy now?“ he asked him, a little annoyed, and after Seto had made sure that they had indeed all signed, he nodded. Joey sat down next to him on the armchair again, folded his arms in front of his chest, then said what had cost him the most overcoming today.

„Seto and I are together.“

„ _WHAT_?!“ his friends asked at the same time, and Joey was very aware of how implausible he must sound. After all, they had made every effort to hide it, at least in public, and that was where they were still known as the worst enemies. Although the blond had actually assumed that after the whole thing last week, they had already figured part of it out, he couldn’t blame them for being surprised either. Maybe they had just assumed that they were friends, but not that it would go this far.

„Honestly, guys,“ Joey continued, „if I heard myself talking like this here, I probably wouldn’t believe it either. But it’s true. I can assure you of that.“

„But... how...?“ he heard Téa ask incredulously.

Joey couldn’t help smiling as he mentally relived all the past months. „It just happened, Téa. I already told you about that deal Seto had suggested me back then. Well, rather, he had forced it on me. As if I ever had a realistic chance of saying no, after all, this is Seto Kaiba we’re talking about.“ Joey couldn’t help laughing and he could hear his friends burst into a short laugh as well.

„And then, it all took its course. We realised we weren’t so different. Well, in many things we are, of course, but not in those that are important. For example, we both care about our family more than anything else in the world.“ Joey looked over at Seto and could see that he was staring at him spellbound, and something in his gaze sent a comforting shiver down his spine. „And we have had to go through similar experiences, in our lives. And today, we are who we are because of what we have experienced.“ As Joey quoted Seto’s words, the latter’s gaze softened a little, his eyes a little brighter. For a brief second, time seemed to stand still and it was just him and the brunet in the room. Joey could hear his own heartbeat rushing in his ears and the butterflies spread from his belly to his whole body. He only woke from this trance again when he heard Tristan laughing uncontrollably.

Confused, he turned to Tristan, who was still struggling to regain his composure. He saw him rub the tears of laughter from his eyes before he said, „Okay, Joey, you win. Where are the hidden cameras?“

Joey frowned. „Cameras? What’cha talking ’bout, dude?“ Tristan was still trying in vain to stifle his laughter, and Joey could see that Téa and Yugi also had wry grins on their faces. „Oh, come on,“ Tristan began again. „You’re seriously trying to tell us you and rich boy over there are a couple? Honestly, how stupid do you think we are?“

Tristan crossed his arms in front of his body and put an attacking grin on his lips. Joey noticed heat rising inside him, but not the good kind, like when Seto touched him, no, he was pissed. Extremely pissed, in fact.

He growled out and had to admonish himself for not giving Seto enough reason to pull out the dog metaphors again before he replied, „Is that so hard to believe?“ He looked to Seto, pleading with his gaze to somehow back him up here, and Joey could hear him groan ever so softly.

„Okay, losers, again for the really stupid among you,“ the brunet said, catching an admonitory look from the blond, which he skilfully ignored as he resumed. „Joey is telling the truth. Or do you think I make non-disclosure agreements just for fun? Because I don’t know what else to do with myself?“ The blond didn’t agree with his dragon’s choice of words, but he made a good point. Nevertheless, he could see that Tristan still seemed to have considerable doubts about the authenticity of their statements.

„Honestly, Kaiba, one can never be sure when it comes to anything related to you. As if any of us even read through this crap before we signed this.“ Joey watched as Seto and Tristan dueled with their gazes, and he felt the same anger rising inside him as he had felt back on New Year’s Eve. Only now, he could hardly escape to the kitchen. How could he prove to his friends that what he said was true?

And then, he had the brilliant idea he had been waiting for. He rose from his seat and in a domineering tone of voice, which one was not really used to from him, he said, facing the brunet, „Seto, get up. Now! Just do as you’re told for once, please!“ It wasn’t hard to make out how confused Seto was by Joey’s sudden behaviour, but he did as he was told. Joey nodded at him in acknowledgement, at the same time signalling him not to move from the spot as he took a few steps towards his friends himself. He had his arms crossed in front of his body, his gaze piercing and his eyes a little narrowed into slits as he announced, addressing Tristan, in particular, „So you want proof? Watch closely then.“

And with those words, he turned around, stood beside Seto, pulled him down to him by his shirt and engaged him in a passionate kiss. Not one of the tender, restrained kind. His friends didn’t want to believe them? Fine, maybe this would finally convince them.

Absurdly, Joey immediately blanked out everything when he felt Seto’s tongue on his lips. It was crazy that after all the months they had already exchanged so many hot kisses, he could still have this effect on him. Still, in the back of his mind, the blond was well aware that they were not alone, otherwise, Seto would surely be no longer wearing his pants. But he couldn’t help but admit that he enjoyed the kiss. Joey was amazed that Seto probably didn’t feel any different because he felt his warm hand against his cheek, and when Joey opened his eyes just a teeny tiny crack, he could see that the taller one had closed his completely. Joey too closed his eyes once more, savouring the moment when they were in their own bubble, in their own reality.

But all beautiful moments had to come to an end. When Joey detached himself from his dragon, he could see in his eyes the storm of emotions he had unleashed in him, and he himself was no different. In fact, he first had to cogitate as to why they had just done that. Then, as it came back to him, a slight, embarrassed blush settled on his cheeks before he straightened up and regained his old self-confidence.

Putting his hands on his hips, he turned to his friends who were staring at him with open mouths. Joey put a winning smile on his lips as he said, „So, you guys get it now?“ When no one said anything back, he wondered if he had gone too far. He was still standing very close to Seto and could feel the latter’s little finger resting against his fingers again and again unobtrusively - or not so unobtrusively, after all. Joey exhaled loudly and then took Seto’s hand. „Guys, I can understand why this comes as a surprise. But do you really think we want to fuck with you that badly? Honestly, if we still hated each other, can you even begin to imagine that we would have kissed in front of you?“

That seemed to bring life back into his friends. Tristan’s face was still quite pale, but Yugi and Téa seemed to have calmed down to some extent at least. Joey could see Yugi slowly regaining his typical smile and returned it cautiously.

„Well, Joey,“ said Yugi, who was the first to find his voice again, „I don’t really know what to say. What do you say in a situation like that, guys? Congratulations?“ Yugi’s naivety made them all laugh, and for the first time today, Joey felt he could breathe freely again.

Then, Téa took over - Tristan was probably the only one still too shocked to say anything. „Okay, and I suppose you don’t wanna make this public so soon? Otherwise, we probably wouldn’t have had to sign that piece of paper, would we?“ Joey nodded. „Exactly. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen eventually, but just not today. Probably not next week either.“ And before he spoke any further, he looked Seto in the eye, whose hand he still held in his. „Besides - there’s more at stake for Seto than for me. I don’t really have anything since I cut myself off from my dad. Nothing but you guys, my mum and Serenity. And you.“ It was clear who the last words were meant for, and Joey could feel Seto’s handshake strengthen a little. It was pretty obvious that it wasn’t just Joey’s self-control that was severely beginning to totter.

„You can count on us,“ he then suddenly heard Tristan say, and as Joey turned to face him, he noticed the seriousness that was in his eyes, underlining that statement. That was what he liked about Tristan. He could goof around and talk absolute nonsense, but when it came down to it, you could rely on him 100 per cent. Joey smiled briefly at Seto again before breaking away from him and walking towards his friends. They all rose from their seats and stood in a circle. And as if by some power they couldn’t control, everyone extended their hand forward so that they were together again as they had been when they had painted the friendship signs on their hands* as a symbol that they were always there for each other, even when anyone wasn’t present. And Joey couldn’t have been happier than at that very moment when his life seemed so perfect.

*Allusion to the very first episode of the series


	18. Rescue me... from injustice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> Heard You Crying - Michael Schulte
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/2hMj8iDL2P41tUCAgFNFED?si=jkVB6x0aQ2a3crFYrLBGDw  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzUEEgG01I4
> 
> Rest here, bring your head near  
> You won’t find your fears inside these arms  
> Rest here, on my shoulder, dear  
> I will comfort you from all the harm
> 
> And I heard you crying so quietly  
> And I heard you crying, won’t you cry on me  
> Oh, let me just hold you now all your life  
> Oh and I heard you crying so quietly last night
> 
> ~~~~

„Damn!“ Cursing, Joey gave up. This freaking stupid tie. Not that he had already tied many ties in his life, but today, there was also the nervousness adding to his inability to make this work. Actually, it was quite a nice, sunny day at the end of March, and even if the temperatures still didn’t go above 15 degrees Celsius, at least the rainy days were getting fewer. Plus, cherry blossoms lined the paths and were blown in all directions by the wind.

Joey loved this time of year. Normally. Because today, he would see him again and he didn’t know what that would do to him. Would he get angry, want to punch him in the face in the street, want to get revenge for what he had done to him a few weeks ago, or rather, his whole life? Would he have to cry because it moved him emotionally? Or would he fall back into an emptiness that would lead to him not getting a word out in court?

„Let me do this, puppy.“ Suddenly, Seto had appeared beside him, apparently quite aware of his frustration. With deft hand movements, he took care of his tie so that it eventually looked the way it was supposed to, while Joey gawked to himself like a defiant child for not having been able to do it himself. When Seto had finished, he looked at his work with satisfaction and gave the blond a gentle smile. Joey sighed, knowing he would still be able to see it because they were here in his apartment and therefore alone, but he was sure that as soon as they took a step out of here, he would be back to the cold, aloof Kaiba he played to everyone. Yet, he needed him by his side today more than ever.

The brunet lifted his chin and looked tenderly into his eyes. „Talk to me, Joey. Are you nervous?“ Joey looked into his beautiful, ice-blue eyes for a moment before resting his head against his chest and replying, „Yeah, I am. I’m scared of meeting him. I never wanted to see him again in my life, Seto.“

He felt Seto’s strong arms wrap around him and his steady breathing magically calmed him. „You know you can still refuse to testify because he’s a family member, and then we’ll let the lawyers sort it out.“

Joey grabbed Seto’s hands and disengaged from him again a little so he could look him in the eye. „But what good would that do? I’m not running away, not anymore. I can’t spend my whole life under his power. Enough is enough, and if I can help him get his just deserts, then I’ll do whatever it takes.“

Seto placed a hand on his cheek, then stroked his hair tenderly and said with a transfigured look, „You are so strong, my puppy. I’ve told you this many times, but I’m really proud of you.“ He gave the blond a loving kiss on the forehead and pulled him close once more, and Joey sucked in his scent, trying to store it away so he could remember it if things got difficult later.

Sighing, Joey ended the physical contact again. „Shall we get going? Guess it’s time.“ Seto nodded. „And remember, I’m always there. When you make your statement, I won’t be allowed in the room, but I’ll be with you in thought, okay? You mustn’t think for a second that you’re alone, because you’re not.“ With those words, the butterflies that had made themselves comfortable in his stomach by the thousands flew off, spreading the feeling of happiness that his dragon only belonged to him all over his body.

When they got out of the limousine and arrived in front of the courthouse, Joey blinked several times. It was a very sunny day and he could see the cherry blossoms flying through the air everywhere. Actually, he would much rather be at one of the many cherry blossom festivals right now, which could offer him a break from everyday life, but he had to concentrate first on what was immediately ahead of him. And he knew that would not be an easy task.

Suddenly, he noticed flashes of light and an unmanageable mass of people came towards Seto, who by now was standing next to him. They were all shouting in confusion and Joey had great difficulty understanding what was going on at all, but he realised that they were probably journalists. Sure, he was standing next to Seto Kaiba, and if he was involved in a court case, it would certainly cause a stir. Seto stood a little in front of him - to protect him? Then, he exchanged glances with Roland, and instantly, security guards appeared around them, shielding them from the aggressive press representatives so that they could finally make their way towards the courthouse.

Arriving at the imposing building, which seemed to be made entirely of marble, they met Joey’s friends, who had also dressed up quite nicely and greeted him with a smile. „Hey, dude, you alright?“ asked Tristan first, and even though they all looked cheerful, Joey could still see a hint of worry in their eyes. „So far, yeah,“ the blond answered hesitantly, putting on a crooked grin. Seto was standing right next to him, which gave him a little more strength. Since they had told his friends, he didn’t keep as much distance when they stood in the group, but still enough so that no one else asked questions. But it was a progress that Joey was very happy about, and the feeling of happiness that came from it was something he would want to hold on to today because he knew he would need it.

„Mr Kaiba, Mr Wheeler,“ they were then addressed from the side, and Seto shook hands with the older, grey-haired man. Joey had only met him once before, his lawyer, to go over the details for the trial. However, Seto had been present at that meeting as well.

„Mr Wheeler, everything is as we discussed. First, you’ll give your testimony, then the witnesses, and finally your father. You will be present throughout the entire trial, the witnesses may only be in the room independently, and not during your or your father’s hearing.“ Noticing Joey’s very obvious uncertainty, he added, „It’s going to be all right, Mr Wheeler. I’ve been doing this a long time, you can probably tell by the few hairs I have left at all, and I’ve become quite good at assessing how a case will turn out. And with this one, I honestly don’t see any signs of anything going wrong. Besides all the witness statements, there is also the doctor’s report, and indeed a traffic camera at a nearby traffic light recorded the incident. I apologise for keeping the latter from you until now, but I was only allowed to see the footage myself about two days ago, but rest assured, you can see enough. He won’t get away with it that easily.“ With an almost friendly pat on the back, his lawyer took his leave, and Joey tried to put on a friendly smile, nodding to him as he moved into the building. Still - his uncertainty remained, even if the evidence was supposed to reassure him.

On impulse, Joey turned around - and that’s when he saw him coming towards the building. He didn’t look quite as run-down as he remembered him, and he was even wearing a suit, wherever he had gotten that from. His dad’s lawyer looked considerably younger than the one Seto had gotten him himself, and something about that relieved him. Just then, their eyes met as they walked past them into court - and Joey could see all the hatred his dad put in his gaze, feel all the contempt, because that was all he had for his son, or so it seemed. Joey didn’t want to give him any more power over him, to show him that he had no more control over him and that he would now get his just punishment for all that he had done to him, but still, his knees went weak. It was like an automatism he could not escape, and just when he felt he was going to fall, Seto put his arm across his waist to support him. Joey knew the risk he was taking, and he was immensely grateful that he was simply with him now.

„It’s all right, puppy. He can’t hurt you anymore.“ Seto’s voice was little more than a whisper, but the blond could still hear it clearly. He felt like crying and wanted to escape, to run far away, but he knew that wouldn’t make it any better. Probably, the ghosts of the past would then haunt him even longer. No, he had to face it and had to trust what his lawyer had just told him. And as they too entered the courthouse, Seto placed his hand on his back, ever so lightly, and that touch still burned under his clothes as he left his friends behind and stepped into the hearing room along with his lawyer.

~~~~

Seto was beginning to feel uneasy. He knew he would be the first witness to be called, and the trial had already started about 30 minutes ago. He hadn’t wanted to show it, wanted to be strong for Joey, but he was afraid of what this day would do to his puppy. But no matter what it was, he would be with him, whatever happened, and always support him. Still, he hoped that the hole he was about to fall into wouldn’t be too deep, and the rope he would throw him would be long enough to get him out of it.

Then, finally, the door opened and a court usher called him into the courtroom. All eyes were on him as he entered the large room - only Joey didn’t turn to face him, and that made Seto nervous. He walked past the rows of chairs that were primarily reserved for the press until he reached the front of the hall. And as he walked past Joey’s table, where he sat with his lawyer, he tried to catch a glimpse of him, but his eyes were downcast, on his folded hands directly in front of him on the table. What he would give to be able to touch him and hug him now, to give him the strength he needed. Instead, he walked a little further forward where a table and chair had been set up where the hearing of the witnesses was obviously taking place.

He took a seat and was immediately addressed by the judge. „Please state your full name for the record.“

„Seto Kaiba.“

„Thank you very much for coming here today, Mr Kaiba. Before we begin, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that you must tell the truth. If you lie, there may be legal consequences. Do you understand that?“

„Of course.“

„Good, then let’s begin. What is your relationship to the accused?“

„None.“ That was a bit of a lie - in his mind, he had already killed this man about a million times, in every conceivable way, but that was certainly not what the judge wanted him to say now.

„And your relationship with the plaintiff?“

„We’re friends, Your Honour.“ He had agreed that with Joey beforehand - if he was asked that, he would answer as he had just done. He had to suppress a smile as he remembered what else he’d said to Joey when they’d worked it out - that he should just imagine that when he said that, that what he actually meant to say was that he belonged with him, and only him. But this wasn’t the place for that now, and certainly not the time to blurt it out.

„Please tell us about the events we are here for today from your point of view.“

„Of course. On the evening in question, I was sitting in my company working late. Then, I received a call from Jo... Mr Wheeler. He seemed confused and didn’t say much, then Yugi Muto, a friend of Mr Wheeler, took over the call and asked me to come to them. They were not far away, about two streets from my company, and I had set off immediately. When I arrived, Mr Wheeler and Mr Muto were joined by his friends Tristan Taylor and Téa Gardner. They explained to me that they had found him like that in the side alley where he was leaning against a wall, about five minutes before I had arrived. Mr Taylor had already called an ambulance. I examined Mr Wheeler’s wounds up close and could see that he had some injuries on his face and his clothes were torn. He told me that it had been his father. When the ambulance arrived, I accompanied him to the hospital where his wounds were treated. There, he also explained to me what exactly had happened, namely that he had been attacked and injured by his drunken father on the way from his job in a cafe. He was allowed to return home after the night and we went together to the police station to have his statement taken directly.“

„Thank you very much, Mr Kaiba. Mr Wheeler has already revealed to us that he is a resident with you at the moment. Can you tell me how that came about?“

Seto had to take a deep breath - they had discussed that too because it was clear that this question would come up. He could still remember that they had argued about it because Joey didn’t want them to tell the whole truth, but Seto had assured him that they had to - if they built themselves a construct of lies, sooner or later, it would collapse and might result in his father not getting the punishment he was supposed to get. Besides, they wouldn’t necessarily have to say anything about their deal, just why he was staying with him in the first place. That would only add to his father’s guilt, and even though Joey had his problems with that, he had agreed in the end.

„In a nutshell, Mr Wheeler wanted to take his own life. Later, he explained to me that his father had been the main reason. His friends asked me for help and I saved Mr Wheeler from jumping off a skyscraper to his death and offered him to stay with me and my brother so he could get out of that toxic environment.“

He couldn’t see Joey at that moment, but he could well imagine how he must be feeling right now, with the man in a room that had almost driven him to snuff out his own life. Again, anger rose in Seto, and he had to pull himself together very hard not to jump up and scream in this creep’s face what a deviant monster he was. No, that wouldn’t help, quite the opposite, so he tried to calm himself down by breathing in and out slowly.

„All right, Mr Kaiba. I would now like to give both parties the opportunity to ask more questions. We will start with the plaintiff’s lawyer. Do you have any further questions for Mr Kaiba?“

„Most of the questions have already been asked,“ Joey’s lawyer began, „but I have one last question: Mr Kaiba, why did you believe Mr Wheeler that it had been his father? Couldn’t it have just been someone else, and Mr Wheeler wanted to blame it on his father?“

Seto gave a barely audible gasp. He had to admonish himself not to go ballistic, the lawyer was just doing his job here, and the brunet knew him so well by now from other cases they had worked together on, though mostly involving his company, that he knew he was excellent at it. Besides, he had already warned him in advance that he would ask this question - to increase both his and Joey’s credibility.

„Legitimate question,“ Seto resumed, trying to keep his cool as best he could. „However, I have already seen his father in action myself. I accompanied Mr Wheeler home once, shortly after he came to live with us, so he could get some things. His father was drunk and had tried to attack both me and Mr Wheeler. We were able to keep him in check to some extent because there were two of us, but this incident showed me that he can definitely do more damage when someone is alone with him. Even if he’s quite drunk.“

Joey’s lawyer nodded at him. „Thank you, no further questions.“

Now, it was the other side’s lawyer’s turn and he was obviously having considerable difficulty with this responsibility. Nervously, he flicked through his papers - as if that was where he would find the question that would save his client’s ass. Ridiculous, that was all Seto could think about it. He didn’t stand a chance, and he seemed well aware that he was in substantial trouble right now to win this case decisively.

Still, he ventured forward, albeit tentatively, as he stammered in a low voice, „Uh, so... Mr Kaiba, why did you help Mr Wheeler in the first place? From what I’ve heard, it’s no well-kept secret now that you two don’t get along very well.“

What, that was all he had to offer? Seto couldn’t help but wonder how this loser had managed to get a law degree in the first place. But it should be just fine with him, it would only make the process easier for his puppy.

Seto thought for a moment about how exactly he wanted to put it, then, he began to speak again. „That’s true, it used to be like that. But we have also grown up, started to communicate normally with each other and have become friends, as I mentioned earlier.“

The brunet could hardly prevent a discreet, amused twitch of the corners of his mouth as he saw Wheeler Senior’s lawyer still struggling immensely to devise a reasonably workable strategy to win this trial. He was apparently unaware that he couldn’t do that at all, even though he was desperately trying. Besides, Seto had already fought other battles, and this one was one of the easiest in a very long list.

Then, the prosecutor suddenly took the floor. „Do you see anything wrong with that, counsellor? Isn’t it normal for friends to help each other?“

„No, no, uh... I...“ the defendant’s lawyer stammered. Seto’s gaze now slid to the judge in the courtroom, who was obviously already more than annoyed by the incompetence of said lawyer, and shook his head in bewilderment. „Do you have any further questions, then, counsellor?“ the judge asked irritably.

„Er, no, no further questions.“

„Good, then you can go, thank you very much for your testimony, Mr Kaiba.“

As Seto rose from his seat, he still couldn’t believe how easy this had been. But then, as he turned around, he suddenly realised again that it wasn’t going to be that easy for everyone in the room, no matter how incompetent the lawyer might be. Seto turned around, and just at that moment, Joey looked up as well. The brunet could see the slightly reddened eyes on the blond’s face, and for a second, concern for Joey took over all his thoughts. But when he really looked into his eyes, if only for a nanosecond, he could see the affection and warmth he could usually detect in them. He wanted so much to hug him, to make it clear that his thoughts were with him, but he knew this was the wrong place. So he only gave him a brief nod, which Joey returned, his gaze knowing. And Seto was glad that they hadn’t forgotten how to communicate through looks. They had gotten into the habit at a time when they were not good with words, but that had changed. Like so many other things, but Seto wouldn’t have it any other way.

As Seto stepped out of the hearing room, Yugi was called in and he joined the rest of the ‚nerd herd‘, albeit reluctantly.

One by one, everyone was called in to be heard as well. The rest of the group waited outside in the hallway. Joey’s friends mostly sat on a bench directly in front of the courtroom, but Seto could not. He was just too restless to sit still for even a minute.

Then, when it had been everyone’s turn, Seto knew that the time had come and Joey’s dad was now to defend himself. This made him nervous - would he say something that would upset Joey? How would Joey cope with just hearing him speak? After all, he had seen what it did to him just being in the same room as that bastard of a father. The more time passed, the more tense he became. No one in the group said anything, everyone was preoccupied, and Seto’s thoughts, at least, were currently focused exclusively on his puppy, whom he wanted so much to help but couldn’t, at least not physically.

He looked impatiently at his mobile phone - almost an hour had passed since Gardner had returned to the group as the last witness. What the hell was there still so much to talk about? All the evidence pointed against Joey’s father, and with the video at the latest, everything was clear. What was taking them so long in there?

But just when he felt he could hardly stand it any longer, the door to the courtroom opened and the first journalists poured out. Before they could besiege him, they were shielded by his security staff and Seto’s eyes searched the room for his blond whirlwind. The latter was just getting up from his seat and briefly still had his back to him until he turned around. Seto couldn’t quite gauge how Joey was feeling - he looked powerless, white as a sheet, and the closer he came to him, the more lacklustre his eyes seemed. As if in slow motion, he approached the group, and when he reached them, he exhaled audibly, as if he had been holding his breath the whole time.

„I...“ he said, but then, Seto could see him break down emotionally while the first tears rolled down his cheeks and he began to sob. Seto wanted to put his hand on his back soothingly, but Joey had other plans, ran down the corridors and then into a bathroom. Without hesitating, Seto ran after him, followed by Joey’s friends, and when they entered the room, the brunet found the shorter man squatting on the floor, his desperate crying almost driving him out of his mind.

Then, the door opened again behind them, obviously someone - legitimately - wanted to use the toilet, but before Seto could say anything in response, Taylor beat him to it. „This one’s occupied!“ he yelled, pulling the door shut forcefully.

Taylor looked at the group, his gaze serious but determined, before saying, „I’ll keep watch here. You guys take care of Joey.“

Knowing that no one would see them who wasn’t allowed to know about their relationship, he ran up to Joey with quick steps, sat down on the floor with him and pulled him into his arms, gently stroking his back and letting the tears soak into his jacket.

For a moment, they just sat there, Joey’s sobs echoing in the room, and Seto felt like his heart was about to burst. He wanted so much to help him, but he didn’t know how. Wanted to talk, and even if he managed that to some extent when Joey’s family was around, it was already more difficult with the nerds in the same room. He was annoyed with himself - why did he care what the stupid geeks thought now? Nothing was more important than Joey, and besides, his friends knew. He had to swallow his pride now, for fuck‘s sake, and help him because he knew - the blond wouldn’t find the exit out of the darkness so easily on his own.

So he put a hand to Joey’s cheek and lifted his chin a little so he could look into his teary eyes, which gave him another stab in the heart. „Joey, talk to me. Please...“ he pleaded.

„Seto... he... he...“ the blond tried, but he was still breathing so heavily that he couldn’t manage to let many words slip past his lips. Seto was already moderately overwhelmed again - with Joey’s overwhelming emotions, with his own feelings, with the fact that he had to blatantly get over himself because his friends were here, but also because he didn’t know what was going on. His whole head was a mess.

„Joey,“ he heard Yugi say from the side. He was standing close enough for Joey to hear and notice him, but still at a proper distance as if he didn’t want to disturb their ‚intimacy‘. „Try to breathe in and out calmly. Very slowly. That’s it, in and out.“

That actually seemed to work. Seto felt Joey’s muscles relax a little, and he would never say it out loud, but he was grateful for Yugi’s advice. Joey lifted his head and looked Seto in the eye now, taking his hands and squeezing them as he continued to let his tears run free.

„Seto, he... he tried to deny it. Said he didn’t do it and that I was trying to frame him.“ The blond paused and Seto brushed a few tears from his cheeks. He had a feeling there was something more he had to say, so he gave him the time he needed to collect himself.

For a brief moment, Joey closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, Seto could see all the pain Joey must be feeling right now, and he felt it with him. Every fibre of his body ached. Then, Joey said, „And then they showed the footage. It was so obvious he did it that even he couldn’t deny it anymore. And then...“

Before the blond could speak further, he slumped down crying, but Seto couldn’t let him fall, had to keep him from embracing the darkness. Joey had to stay with him, come what may.

He took his head between both hands now, trying to give him stability and security, the courage to keep talking. „What happened then, my puppy?“ he asked, and the fact that he had just addressed him by his pet name, even though the ‚geek squad‘ might hear it, just didn’t have to matter now. Gently, he stroked his cheek with a thumb and slid even closer to him.

Seto could see how much effort it took the blond to say the words in his head, and once again, he admired him for his strength when he heard him say, „And then, he went on the attack. Said I had it coming after all. I would have let him down, causing him to lose his apartment. He... he said he hated me, that I wasn’t his son anymore. I...“

Seto’s despair turned to pure rage. How could this disgusting scumbag speak of his puppy like that? His anger apparently now gave him the courage to speak more openly than he had managed up to this point. He blanked everything out because he had to make sure the blond didn’t start believing what his idiot father was saying.

„Joey, look at me,“ he declared, and the blond raised his eyes again, which he had initially lowered. „Nothing he said is the least bit true. Not even in the slightest. You’ve done more than enough for him, even though he deserved nothing, absolutely nothing. You’re so much better than him, Joey. Believe me, what he was saying says more about himself than it does about you.“

Joey’s grip on his sleeve tightened as he retorted, „But Seto, how can he hate me? Have I not behaved well enough? Have I not done everything for him? Have I failed as a son?“

So that was what was so upsetting to him. That he no longer considered Joey a son. Seto could only understand that to a certain extent, but he could understand it a little. Joey had done everything in the last few years to get recognition from his father, but it had always been denied him. Suddenly, the brunet remembered what Mokuba had said to him when all this had started: that Joey basically just wanted to be loved. He had always sought love with his father, and today had given him the final stab in the back, shown that all his hopes had been for nothing.

„Joey, you can’t possibly believe that,“ Seto said, a hint of desperation resonating in his voice. „You did more than you should have. You mustn’t blame yourself. You were a much better son than he ever deserved, but he was never the father he should have been. _He_ should have been there for _you_ , not the other way around.“

„He’s right, Joey,“ Yugi took the floor again, and he could see Gardner nodding vigorously out of the corner of his eye. She hadn’t joined in the conversation so far, but it probably wouldn’t necessarily help if everyone suddenly started talking at Joey. Nevertheless, Yugi’s words did not fail to have an effect this time, and Seto should have been jealous that he had not managed to trigger this effect with his own words, but that was not actually true. After all, Yugi only confirmed what Seto had just said, and maybe it just helped Joey to hear the same statement from several people. In the end, it didn’t matter - the important thing was that he got better, and Seto would do everything he could to make it happen. And if he had to enlist the help of Yugi or the others to do it, so be it.

As Seto looked back intently into Joey’s eyes, he could see him calming down a little, very slowly, but even small steps were movements in the right direction. Gradually, his tears dried up and Seto brushed a strand of hair from his forehead as he said, „You’re a good person, Joey. I know myself what it’s like to have your family torn apart, but you mustn’t forget that he was probably never really family. But you have your mum and Serenity who will always stand by you. You also have a new family - me and Mokuba. Maybe we all won’t be able to completely fill the hole your dad leaves, but Joey, I’ll try as long as you let me.“

Joey’s gaze softened, his eyes widening a little - he was probably just as surprised as Seto himself that he had spoken those words aloud in the presence of his friends. Seto felt Joey’s hand on his cheek before he said, „Seto, I...“ The brunet gave him a tender kiss on the forehead and pulled his head to his chest, hugging him tightly. „I know, my puppy, I know. Never forget that I will always be with you. We can do this together, okay?“

And when he could sense the blond’s nod at his chest, relief suddenly spread through him. He could feel Joey slowly becoming himself again and felt him return his embrace as he wrapped his own arms around Seto’s body.

Silently, they sat like that for a few minutes, the nerds not making a sound either, leaving them their moment in peace. Joey was the first to disengage after a while, and Seto was surprised to see a slight smile on his lips. He still looked powerless and exhausted, but who wouldn’t be after a day like this?

„Thank you, Seto. I would be lost without you.“ The brunet couldn’t help but return the smile. „No, I think it’s more the other way around.“ There was so much affection in Joey’s gaze that it sent a comforting shiver down his spine, and both men’s smiles intensified a little more.

„Better?“ asked Seto, and he could see Joey nodding. „Yes. Let’s get outta here.“ Seto stood up and held out his hand to Joey, which he accepted gratefully. Seto was overcome with déjà vu as he apparently pulled Joey up with a tiny bit too much force so that he landed against his chest. It reminded him of their ‚date‘ - though they would have never called it that back then - in the mansion’s gym, and that thought gave him renewed goosebumps that spread all over his body.

Joey gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek, then broke away from him without losing the blissful smile. Seto thought it was wonderful that he was able to free him from the darkness once more, though not entirely without help. Now, he realised how exhausting this day had been for himself as well. Therefore, he said, „Do you wanna go out already? I’ll join you in a minute.“ Joey was puzzled but accepted his wish for a short moment’s rest - after all, it was clear that there would be a horde of journalists waiting for him out there again. And before he faced that, he had to take a breath.

Together with Gardner and Taylor, the blond left the bathroom - only Yugi didn’t move from the spot. Seto leaned back against the cool white tiled wall and closed his eyes for a brief moment, breathing in and out deeply.

„You like him a lot, don’t you, Kaiba?“ Seto looked over at the shorter man with the colourful hair and tried with all his might to put on his typical Kaiba mask, but he suspected he was only moderately successful. This day had definitely cost him more energy than he would have liked.

He turned his gaze away from Yugi again - he tried hard to fight it, but he knew it was hopeless. So he nodded tentatively, but his expression remained serious. He heard Yugi laugh amiably, and just as he was about to give him a withering Kaiba look in response, Yugi beat him to it by speaking again. „I really saw that. Honestly, when you guys opened up about you being together, I really couldn’t believe it at first. I mean, you two were probably always the biggest brawlers I’ve ever known.“ Again, Yugi had to laugh. 

He was definitely right in what he said. „So much has changed since I met the real Joey.“ Damn, had he just said that out loud? Judging by the look on Yugi’s face, he probably had. Sighing, Yugi replied, „Kaiba, you don’t have to feel bad about saying something like that out loud. Don’t look so taken aback now. We’re Joey’s best friends, and it doesn’t really matter why you’re together or how it came about. What matters is that he’s happy. Okay, sure, he didn’t look too happy today, for understandable reasons, but he wouldn’t have gotten out of that hole without you, I’m sure. And I’ve seen the way he looks at you. Whatever you feel for him, he feels it for you too, that was clear to see. And whether you want to hear it or not, Joey’s friends are our friends. You can trust us, we’re on your side. You’re part of this group now too.“

Yugi obviously couldn’t help grinning as he looked at Seto’s shocked expression. „Yes, I almost thought that would upset you. I’ll go and join the others then, you can join too when you’ve regained your composure.“ Yugi gave him another quick wave, then disappeared - leaving a more than confused Seto Kaiba behind.

Okay, just to recap what had just happened: He was now part of the ‚nerd herd‘? That could only be a bad joke. He would never want to be part of this stupid gang. After all, this group consisted of nothing but losers - okay, fine, if you left Joey aside. Well, and Yugi’s successes in Duel Monsters were also undeniable. Argh, no, he couldn’t just let himself be lulled by the seemingly nice words of the shorter one! He was, after all, Seto Kaiba, the CEO of an internationally successful games company and thus clearly above this little carnival club! He could only hope that Joey wouldn’t get the glorious idea of trying to integrate him into this group of weirdos. He would do just about anything for Joey, but that was rather a hard limit.

But there was something else Yugi had said that he couldn’t get out of his head: Did his puppy feel the same way about him? Did he love him? And how could he find out if he did? He couldn’t just ask him like that. Could he? Maybe it would help if he told him again? But what if Yugi was wrong? Wouldn’t Seto make a complete fool of himself if Joey wasn’t ready yet?

This whole situation was driving him up the wall! And how absurd this situation was: he was standing here, in a bathroom where just a few minutes ago, he had tried to calm his puppy down while sitting with him on the cold tiles of the floor. That had worked pretty well, but in the end, he was allowed to listen to the really badly abstruse thoughts of Yugi, whom he could now thank for still standing here, racking his brains as to whether Joey felt the same way about him.

Sighing, he pushed himself off the wall. It didn’t help, he would just wait and see what would happen. He would come up with a flash idea at some point, he was Seto Kaiba, after all. And until then, he would just make sure that his puppy got better. With these thoughts, he left the room and went in search of the nerds, where he also suspected the puppy he was so addicted to.


	19. Rescue me... from my love for you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> You've Got The Love - Florence + The Machine
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/244AvzGQ4Ksa5637JQu5Gy?si=tkBdrwHxQWijrf90Q8RUlw  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQZhN65vq9E
> 
> Sometimes, I feel like throwing my hands up in the air  
> I know I can count on you  
> Sometimes, I feel like saying, "Lord, I just don't care"  
> But you've got the love I need to see me through
> 
> Sometimes, it seems the going is just too rough  
> And things go wrong no matter what I do  
> Now and then, it seems that life is just too much  
> But you've got the love I need to see me through  
> When food is gone, you are my daily need, oh  
> When friends are gone, I know my savior's love is real  
> You know it's real
> 
> Cause you've got the love, you've got the love and you've got the love  
> You've got the love, you've got the love and you've got the love
> 
> ~~~~

Exactly one week later, the verdict against his father was rendered. The court case had eaten away at Joey’s nerves and he was glad that after today, it would at least come to an abrupt end. Maybe then, he would finally be able to put everything behind him when his father had received his just punishment.

In fact, he received the maximum sentence for such an offence, namely five years in prison. When the judge had announced this sentence, his dad had jumped up angrily and vented his displeasure. He had literally screamed at the judge and hurled insults at him, and Joey couldn’t help but wonder how stupid his dad was. Did the older man actually think he could lessen his sentence with this? He was making an absolute fool of himself and didn’t even seem to realise it. The judge probably saw it similarly to the blond, had admonished him several times to be quiet so that he could pronounce the sentence in full, but his dad had cared very little about that.

After the judge had managed to read out the complete sentence against his father’s roar, he was removed from the hearing room - in handcuffs. This gave Joey an insane sense of satisfaction - he was free, able to live his life as he pleased, while his father would spend the next few years behind bars. The day had finally come when he would be punished for everything he had ever done to him. Though his dad sent him hateful looks, even shouted at him one last time what a deviant bastard of a son he was, all of that was just like water of a duck’s back for Joey. Just a week ago, when the court had gathered to hear his case, he had been deeply moved by the fact that he would never have his father’s love. But through his friends, and not least through Seto, he had learned that he could well do without a ‚love‘ that would condemn him to a life of slavery in which he was completely subservient to his dad.

And when his dad was led out of the hall like that, he inwardly said goodbye to him. From today on, he would no longer have a father, if he had ever had one at all. Maybe he had been a real dad when his parents had still been married, but he had not managed to keep up this role model function after they had separated. Actually, all he had ever wanted was to have a father he could look up to. Who played football with him, pored over his maths homework, took him in his arms when he had his first heartbreak and told him that everything would be all right. But none of that even remotely happened, quite the opposite. And yet - despite all this, Joey found it hard to say goodbye to his father because it also meant that all the hopes, all the wishes he had unconsciously built up over the years would now completely fizzle out and remain unfulfilled forever. He would never have a father because the man who had just been taken away could at best call himself his genitor, and that was pretty much it. He had never been a real dad.

And despite this touch of pain, a much stronger feeling prevailed over Joey - relief. Not only because he had received the maximum sentence and would now atone for everything that had happened. Joey also realised that he would never be like his dad. Lately, this thought had come up more and more often and had stubbornly nested in his mind. For the blond didn’t shy away from brute force in the past either, he probably still wouldn’t, it all depended on the individual case. He would do anything to protect those he cared about, pretty much any means was fine with him, as long as it was a reasonably legal one. What he would never do, however, would be to seriously hurt the very people he liked so much and needed more than anything in his life. And that was the big difference between them, the one that made Joey a human being who cared about others and made his dad downright animalistic in comparison. The blond also kept remembering the words that Seto had told him so many times now: everyone decided for themselves about their lives. And Joey had decided that he would never become like this animal of a father, whom he would now no longer give a place in his life.

As his dad was led away, he could hear Seto snorting furiously, sitting in the chair next to Joey. The blond analysed him closely and could see how the brunet was taken over by a rage that usually affected Joey. He saw Seto clench his hands into fists and his breathing quicken. Joey was a little amused by this, as it felt as if they had swapped roles. And when Seto glanced at him and recognised the slight smile on Joey’s lips, he seemed to realise that too. They were sitting in the back row of the room, and yet Joey knew that every touch was also a risk, but he couldn’t stop one of his hands from gently touching the thighs of the man who had saved him - in every possible way. Seto’s eye colour changed a little because of the touch and he could see a longing flashing that they both would not be able to give in to at that moment. Joey released the light touch again, without anyone else even noticing, and intensified his smile even more for his dragon, who meant the world to him.

And now he stood here, on the bank of a river, together with Seto and his friends who had also been present at the pronouncement of the verdict, and watched as the pink blossoms of the cherry trees completely took over the paths and the water. They had left for the cherry blossom festival directly after the court hearing. The trees were in full bloom by now and their leaves were scattered in all directions by the shallow air current. A gentle, warm wind blew around Joey’s nose and the sun’s rays tickled his face. It had become warmer and not a single cloud could be seen in the sky, and it was as if everything that had previously obscured his vision had suddenly been blown away. It was easier for him to concentrate again and he had found a calmness within himself that he would hardly have thought possible just a few months ago.

Joey lifted his gaze and now came back to reality altogether. The path was lined on both sides with all sorts of stalls selling a variety of goodies. He could hear Tristan squealing merrily in the distance while Téa and Yugi giggled amusedly beside him. His dragon was walking to his left and had not moved from his side since they had left the courthouse, and Joey couldn’t help but think that it must be just like that. Joey knew his place was right there and he would never want it any other way.

Together with the group, they strolled along the paths, past avenues of cherry trees, and in the background, they could hear the water of the river gently rushing. It was a beautiful day that made Joey hope that so much more positivity awaited him in his life. And if not, he knew that the man with the mesmerising ice-blue eyes would be there beside him, holding his hand, if only metaphorically, and be with him through it all. The blond was not so naïve as to believe that life would only grace him with its beautiful sides from now on. There would still be many obstacles and challenges waiting for him to overcome. But he just had the absolutely certain feeling that none of them could force him to the ground anymore as long as Seto was by his side.

At that moment, he looked up at the brunet. His gaze was focused forward and it still amused Joey how uncomfortable Seto was in a group with his friends. Yugi had told him about his conversation with Seto a few days ago when he had opened up to him that he was now part of this group. Joey had spat out the sip of tea he had just tried to drink in the same moment and couldn’t help a harsh laugh. All too well, he could imagine how Seto must have reacted to that, and right now, Joey realised how much the brunet was on his guard. What Yugi hadn’t understood was that you couldn’t push a Seto Kaiba into doing something or just let him become a part of something just because you thought it made sense or was necessary. Seto had to decide that for himself, Joey knew that well by now. Of course, Seto would be able to be convinced by logical arguments, but friendship was just not as comprehensible to him as it was to Joey, Tristan, Téa and Yugi. Nevertheless, the blond would try to let him become a part of the group, maybe it would work out sometime, no matter how much Seto resisted.

At that very moment, a light breeze blew in their faces and Joey watched as individual strands were blown first out and then back into Seto’s forehead. The brunet closed his eyes for a split second as if enjoying the soft touch of the air on his skin and soaking up the sensation. Something about this situation felt sensual to Joey and the longing to touch the soft skin of Seto’s cheeks grew immeasurably. He simply could not avert his eyes and had to swallow. Seto’s mouth was slightly open, only the very edges of his lips still touching fleetingly. Joey gingerly bit his lower lip to escape the urge to kiss him on the spot.

„You’re staring at me, puppy,“ the brunet stated, and Joey’s gaze, previously transfigured and befuddled, now slid from Seto’s lips to his eyes, which were still forward.

Joey heaved a sigh. „I know, I’m sorry, I just can’t help it sometimes.“

Seto didn’t say anything in reply, only acknowledging it with a tentative smile, and Joey knew that Seto probably met the same fate from time to time.

„Hey, guys!“ he heard Téa call next to him. „That would be a great place for our picnic back there, wouldn’t it?“ Joey followed her outstretched arm in the direction she pointed and recognised a large meadow that appeared to be part of a park. The place was a little higher than the path they were currently walking on, so they would still have a great view over the river. He had to agree with Téa - the place was perfect!

So the group made their way there. They spread their blankets under the cherry trees in full bloom, and already the first pink leaves were trickling down on them. Joey enjoyed the feeling this gave him and laid down with his back on one of the blankets. He closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the scent of the cherry trees, and a soulful smile came to his lips. He propped his head up with his hands and looked up, noticing Seto who had sat down next to him. The sun’s rays delicately touched his face, making his perfect skin glow, as did his eyes, which became a shade brighter with the light. Joey had to look away when the sun suddenly hit him in the eyes and blinded him, but he stored this divine image of his dragon in his mind, burning it into his head so that he would never forget it.

As everyone else unpacked the food they had brought with them, the blond sat up again and took out the boxes they had put their prepared food into. A tiny smile came over him as the memory of the preparation caught up with him. Mokuba had been eager to help him while Seto had just stood by, expressionless. Joey knew that Seto would never admit it because he always claimed so vehemently that he could do everything, but if one was honest - the taller one couldn’t cook. Joey had a bit more practice, and he wasn’t that bad at it. He prepared various bento, with rice balls, sausages carved into octopuses, sweet and savoury omelette, fried salmon and lots of vegetables - vitamins were important, after all!

The friends placed the food in the middle of the blankets and Joey’s mouth was already watering, but before he could pounce on the delicious buffet, Yugi raised his voice.

„Hey, Joey, before we start, I just wanted to get something off my chest.“

Curious, he looked at the shorter man with the colourful hair, all the other pairs of eyes were also on him expectantly, then he continued speaking. „I just wanted to say that you should be very proud of yourself. Really, the way you got through that, that was absolutely tremendous, Joey. You did really well.“

Even though Yugi’s tone was a bit like how one would speak to a primary school student, it touched Joey. He saw his friends nodding in agreement and felt deep gratitude for knowing them as companions in his life.

Embarrassed, he put a hand to the back of his head and grinned. „Oh, come on, it was nothing. Besides, I didn’t have to go through it alone. Honestly, guys, I probably couldn’t have done it without you. So thanks for helping me through it.“

Tristan crossed his arms in front of his chest and put on a belligerent smile. „Man, dude, how cheesy that sounds. Did that rich boy over there really soften you up that much, huh?“

The blond bared his teeth, rose with a jerk and walked purposefully towards Tristan. He grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up to him, then shouted, „Say that again, you idiot! Who’s soft here, huh?“

Immediately, they were torn apart by Yugi and Téa, even though both were still trying to break free and go at each other. A few moments later, Tristan laughed out loud and went into defence mode. „It’s okay, dude, no one said it was a bad thing. As long as you’re happy.“ With a shrug of his shoulders and slightly embarrassed, Tristan sat back down.

„I see, and who’s the soft one of the two of us now?“, Joey brought out with a grin, before he too sat back right next to Seto. That was obviously the cue because his friends immediately made a beeline for all the food, nothing left where it had been before, and Joey had to burst into a short laughter.

His friends paid no further attention and he left the field open for them - at least for now. He moved a little closer to Seto so that their two hands, on which they were leaning, could almost touch. Joey longed for him so much, missed the feel of his fingers on his own skin. Seto was looking at him now, with that intense gaze that was so penetrating Joey felt like he could look straight into his soul. He lost himself in the vivid blue of his eyes and wanted to tell him so much, but he knew he couldn’t, not here, not in public. So he did what he always did when he had no other option to satisfy his desire for his dragon: He took out his phone and typed a message, even though he felt pretty stupid doing it, with Seto sitting only a few inches away from him. But it was better than nothing.

‚I wanna thank you too, Seto. I couldn’t have done all this without you. Thank you for believing in me and for bringing me this far. I’ll never forget that.‘

Surprise flashed in Seto’s eyes as he felt the vibration of his phone. Nevertheless, he immediately took it out and read Joey’s message, and as he skimmed it, the blond could hear him exhale sharply. Then, he saw him type a reply and he could hardly wait. He was addicted to any word he could give him, that was a fact.

‚My puppy, I’m sure you could have done it without me. You are so strong. And of course I believe in you, why shouldn’t I? I’ve never doubted you and I’m not gonna start now.‘

Joey’s heart stopped for a second. It was just incredible the effect Seto had on him without him having to say those words out loud.

‚Maybe I could have done it without you, but what if I don’t want to? I need you in my life, Seto. I can’t even imagine going to sleep one night without you, or not waking up next to you in the morning. I want you, more than I’ve ever wanted anything.‘

He heard the brunet groan softly beside him and dared a quick glance into his eyes - they radiated so much desire that Joey had trouble withstanding that look for long. Only seconds later, Seto turned away again to formulate a response, and no matter what it was Joey was about to read, he was already being pulled back into this vortex of desire he wouldn’t be able to break out of unless someone stopped him. And that didn’t bother him one bit.

‚And I want you, Joey. Sometimes, I wake up before you in the morning and I can watch you a bit more. You look so peaceful when you sleep. I can’t believe I get to wake up next to you. That you want me in your life. And it’s at times like this that I wonder what I’ve done to deserve you.‘

Joey had to seriously pull himself together not to burst into tears. His heart rate sped up enormously and he felt himself getting a little dizzy again. What was this dragon doing to him? But he wanted to hear more, much more from him, to soak up every word, every syllable and lock it tightly in his heart. So he tried to type a response that could nevertheless only begin to express what he felt for him.

‚What you have done to deserve this? Seto, you are everything to me. Without you, I wouldn’t even exist anymore. It is me who should ask this kind of question. Why do you rescue me, over and over and over again? Why don’t you just let me fall?‘

Joey held his breath until his phone buzzed again, announcing a reply from the brunet, which he immediately began to read greedily.

‚Because I’d fall with you, Joey. And if that ever happens, I’ll do it without batting an eyelid. Because I can’t imagine my life without you, not anymore. You’re the one who rescued me from a life without any real meaning. Sure, I have my company and Mokuba, and of course that’s important to me, I’d be lying if I said otherwise. But when I look back today, I realise how aimlessly I went through life. From one task to the next, from one challenge to the other. Only now is there something that shows me the direction in my life, that gives it an actual meaning. And that meaning is you, Joey.‘

Joey had to avert his gaze from his friends, who were obviously still all too busy making short work of their food. And it was a good thing no one was paying attention to him because he couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. He turned around for a moment, turned his back on his friends, sat down cross-legged, put his phone down in front of his legs and let his tears run free for a few seconds. Then, he lifted his head again and looked Seto in the eye. What could Joey possibly say in response? The words whirled chaotically through his head and he just couldn’t grasp any of them, and even if he could, none of them sounded anywhere near as perfect as what Seto had just written.

„Joey...“ he heard Seto whisper softly beside him, and his eyes spoke volumes. No, Joey couldn’t give up, he had to at least try to give him what he himself received from him so often. So he grabbed his phone and let the words flow.

‚I have no idea how to respond to that, Seto. Nothing feels good enough. I feel like the words that could describe what I wanna tell you, what you mean to me, haven’t even been invented yet. How stupid really, it’s not like you were always the one of us who was good with words, but maybe that’s changed. Like so many other things. You’ve changed me, Seto. I’ve become a better version of myself that I never thought was actually inside me. But you brought it out of me.‘

He sent that message but felt he hadn’t actually said everything he wanted to say, and as Seto skimmed over those lines, Joey typed into his phone again.

‚I just wanna be with you. There’s nowhere else I feel more comfortable. Even if you’re just walking beside me or holding my hand. God, Seto, I wanna kiss you so badly right now, hug you and tell you how much you mean to me. But I can’t shake the feeling that I’d fail at that because just nothing I could say would be good enough.‘

Now, the blond turned so that he was sitting directly opposite Seto. Everything in him wanted to touch him, to put his lips on the brunet’s and feel him all over. Seto looked at him with a transfigured gaze, his mouth slightly open, and he ran his tongue over his lips, lost in thought, which immediately took Joey’s breath away. He watched as Seto picked up his phone and faltered for a moment, but then started composing a message again.

‚I know that well, Joey. For a long time, I felt nothing could even remotely express how I feel about you. But I think by now, I’ve found the words that can sum it up at least a little better.‘

After reading this message, Joey looked up and regarded Seto, who had now turned to face him as well. His phone was still in his elegant hands and Joey could see desire flaring in his eyes. He seemed to wrestle with himself, but then, he pressed the ‚send‘ button without taking his eyes off Joey. At first, the blond couldn’t move, even when he could feel his phone vibrating in his hands. Joey had to swallow, suddenly nervous, but then, he opened the message on his phone.

‚I love you, Joey. With every fibre of my heart. And I will spend every day of my life trying to prove that to you.‘

Joey’s breath caught in his throat. Now, he had it all written out. He loved him. Oh God, he loved him! His fingers began to tremble and he no longer had enough strength to hold his phone. He briefly felt like he was going to faint, but he had to stay fully conscious.

Joey put a hand on Seto’s. Fuck what other people would think. He couldn’t take any more, and he didn’t want to either. Longingly, he looked into those striking blue eyes of his. He was at a loss for words because all the emotions came crashing down on him at once, but then, he tried, even though little more than a whisper came out of him, „Seto.... I... I... lo-“

„Hey, lovebirds! Fancy a digestive walk?“ Uh... what...? Confused, he looked up at the voice that must have just addressed him and realised it belonged to Téa. He had completely blocked out the entire world around him for the last half hour, was back in the bubble that only Seto could create around them, where nothing mattered but the two of them. Still as if in a trance, he slowly found his way back to reality. His friends rose from their seats, stretched and began to pack up the blankets and boxes, and Joey realised that he had not touched the food at all. Although he had to admit that he was no longer hungry at all, at least not for solid food. The only thing he was craving now was this man right in front of him, who was still incessantly consuming him with his gaze.

As if mechanically, Joey and Seto also rose from their seats. Neither of them knew what to say, and perhaps there was simply nothing to say. But Joey could feel how this one message, these few letters and even fewer words, had changed his whole world.

Still completely in thought, the two of them followed the group in step. Joey had his hands buried in his pockets and Seto did the same, walking close to him, and Joey could feel his presence all over his body. The clique came to a halt at one of the stalls, but Joey couldn’t focus on it at all, or even care about what was attracting their attention so much. His thoughts were solely on the brunet who was so perfect at driving him out of his mind.

While the friends were doing whatever at the stall, Seto directed him to a bench with a subtle movement of his head. They sat down, but Joey still didn’t know what to say. His gaze slid into the distance, watching the blossoms of the cherry trees slowly make their way to the ground. Something about it he found eerily satisfying. And suddenly, the words just spilt out of his mouth without him giving much thought to what he was saying.

„Remember,“ he began, immediately catching Seto’s attention, „back at the piano concert when I thought happiness was a fleeting thing? The cherry blossoms remind me a lot of that now. Only a few weeks a year, they are in full bloom, fall to the ground and vanish just a short time later. It is like life itself: One exists only temporarily, for life is also fleeting.“

With a silent sigh, Joey turned his head in Seto’s direction, who looked at him with a gentle gaze. The blond couldn’t help a blissful smile from settling on his lips as he returned his dragon’s warm expression.

„And if that’s the case, shouldn’t you make the most of the time you have? I, for one, could think of nothing better than spending every day of my existence with you. And if you only live once, then I wanna live with you.“

Joey realised how much Seto was touched by what he had said, but he didn’t reply. Still, the blond could clearly see that Seto felt exactly the same as he did, and that made him immensely happy.

Joey’s heart leapt as his gaze still rested on the man at his side. He had always imagined what it would be like to love someone and then openly confess it to that person - as Seto had done already, twice in fact. He always thought it would take some kind of overcoming, would feel hard, so full of insecurity and fear that feelings might not be reciprocated. However, he found that was exactly the opposite of how he felt now. He felt light and liberated, and incredibly happy. He wasn’t worried at all, but then, he already knew how Seto felt.

He took a moment to listen into his own heart. Even if he tried to deny it, it was obvious anyway - he was in love. Seto took over his thoughts, every second he existed. Had been with him in his worst hours, never giving up, as hard as it might have been. Had given him the strength to find his way back into life when he had actually already finished with it. He was the light that chased away the darkness in him when it took over again. He reached out to him when he threatened to fall. And he shared all the happy moments with him that would probably not even exist without him. Yes, he loved him - unconditionally, endlessly, with all of his heart, and it would stay that way for all eternity.

„Hey, look over here, now cheeeeeeese!“ Dumbfounded, Joey turned his gaze forward and saw Yugi snapping a picture of them with his mobile. For a second, Joey was perplexed, but then, he regained his composure and shook his head, grinning. The timing was really pretty crappy today, but he would have more than enough opportunities to tell his dragon how much he loved him. Before they stood up and returned to the group, Joey looked at Seto one last time, putting all his feelings into that one look, and he believed the brunet understood. Seto’s gaze softened a little again and he put on a subtle smile that pumped an endless surge of endorphins through Joey’s veins. Seto had written that he would do anything to prove his love to him every day, and Joey made the same plan. He would do absolutely anything for this person who could render him speechless with just the blink of an eye and who had stolen his heart. And Joey wanted him to keep it, until the end of their days.


	20. Don't rescue me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT NOTE: The publishing schedule has changed to twice a week with immediate effect, meaning I'll post on Tuesdays and Fridays (still regularly and every week though).
> 
> ~~~~
> 
> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> Kartenhaus - Silbermond
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/1CKNhIhvNNVNssTJNk1iuZ?si=7QEMXtoMS9e5_Ten8IAAbA  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsIAmOwIUV4
> 
> As this is a German song that just suits this chapter perfectly, here’s the full translation:
> 
> I search for that which makes me forget  
> That there is darkness in my life  
> And that the night occupies the day  
> And leaves me no spark of light
> 
> I lack nothing and yet I lack much  
> I’m too weak to get up again  
> And too strong to lie here
> 
> Now I am awake  
> Hold the light in my hands  
> I’ve already stopped thinking  
> That the tide would turn
> 
> You made my life new  
> You put your power in me  
> You make everything worth living  
> I don’t want to fight it  
> You put up a candle  
> And brought the light into my world  
> Making my life a house of cards  
> Built on you
> 
> How every word needs a voice  
> How the moon dips into every night  
> Like every truth its face  
> That’s just like I need you  
> You are the wind and you carry me high  
> And I know you can see me fly  
> And make me fall with a word too  
> Woke up again  
> With the darkness in my hands  
> I never thought  
> That the tide would turn again
> 
> You made my life  
> And you thought nothing of it  
> You were the meaning and the worth of my life  
> And now it’s all worth nothing  
> You just snuff out my candle  
> Cause you don’t need it no more  
> Turning my life into a house of cards  
> And pull out the bottom card

Cautiously, he knocked on Seto’s office door and opened it. The room was dark and deserted. They had arranged to meet here to go out together, but Seto seemed to have disappeared somewhere.

Joey closed the door behind him and leaned back against it. He crossed his arms in front of his body and let out an audible sigh. It was crazy how fast six months could go by. Six months compared to a whole lifetime seemed so short, so little time, and yet more than enough to change him fundamentally. He was no longer the impulsive, quick-tempered, constantly fighting boy he had been before Seto had stumbled into his life. He had become a man. Had faced his past, and even if he didn’t think he had fully overcome it yet, he knew he would have a lifetime with Seto by his side to accomplish this. And today, they would celebrate just that - life. The one they had already spent together and the one that would lie ahead. It was only mid-April and so, in purely mathematical terms, the six months were not yet up, but they had agreed that it had little relevance anyway.

  
Exhaling loudly, he came back to reality. Seto still hadn’t shown up and Joey was getting impatient. Jerkily, he pushed himself away from the door and took a few steps further into the room, looking around, hoping to find something to occupy him while he waited. Seto’s office actually looked the same as always. The last rays of the day’s sun shone through the window directly onto the desk, onto the chair where Seto usually sat when he was focused on something. There was not a single sound to be heard, except for Joey’s regular breathing.

Lost in thought, the blond stroked the spines of books on the shelves. He recognised mostly technical books from segments he didn’t even begin to understand. He wondered if Seto had read them all. A slight smile came to Joey’s lips - his dragon was just incredibly smart, he could probably read every single one of these books before breakfast without any problem. Joey wouldn’t be able to do that even if he tried really hard.

With an amused shake of his head, Joey took his eyes off the shelves when he suddenly noticed something on the brunet’s desk - a folder, open. Joey suspected that he wouldn’t understand a word of it anyway, but still - his curiosity was piqued. So he stepped closer, and when his gaze fell on the open pages, his eyes widened.

He had to get closer to realise that his eyes had not deceived him. Pictures of him? As he looked at the open page, he saw that there were not only photos of him alone, but also photos of him with Seto. Confusion spread through him - why did Seto have a folder with pictures of him on his desk? The fact that it was lying here so openly told him that the brunet must have just used it. He flipped to the next page, but the following pages remained blank. And when he flipped back again, he noticed that the last photo was also the most recent one Seto probably had of them. It was the picture Yugi had taken when they had been sitting on the park bench at the Cherry Blossom Festival.

Joey looked up briefly and listened for a moment, but there were still no footsteps to be heard. It seemed he would be alone for quite a while longer. So he pulled up the office chair and started leafing through the folder from back to front.

Instead of finding an answer to what this all meant, he was struck by a steadily increasing perplexity. The more he pages he turned, the more pictures he saw, especially of himself. There were the photos of their trip to his family in the US, a photo of him listening intently to the sounds of the piano concert he had attended with Seto, then another photo, obviously from New Year’s Eve, of him dancing exuberantly with his friends. There was also a shot of him on his birthday, eagerly reading Seto’s letter. This set off a pleasant tingle in his body as he remembered how much that letter meant to him.

He still had no clue what this was all about, but he was magically drawn in by all the photos. He kept turning to the next page, hoping to finally get an answer to his question as to why there was obviously a folder full of pictures of him. The next photos showed him and Serenity building sandcastles by the sea, him playing board games with his family and Mokuba, probably at Christmas. He faltered - the following shot showed him sitting on a pier, which Seto obviously must have taken when they were first together at the sea. The day that, in retrospect, had changed everything for them. By now, he had made it almost all the way to the front of the folder, but there was one last - or rather first - picture: Joey jogging in the Kaibas‘ park. What the...

Then, he noticed that there was obviously another page, the very first one, but instead of photos, Seto’s delicate handwriting adorned this sheet. Joey had trouble making sense of it at first. It looked like a mind map and he worked his way from one branch to the next - until he looked at the middle, the starting point, which had apparently been the core question of Seto’s brainstorming.

His brain struggled to process these words appropriately. Joey could read them but did not understand them. But then, their full meaning became apparent and Joey understood. Breathing heavily, he rose abruptly from the office chair, which rolled backwards at a rapid pace. No, this... this couldn’t possibly be true. What the hell did this mean? He felt all the sudden questions choking his throat and he had trouble catching his breath. He was getting hot and he could hear the blood rushing in his ears. He held a hand over his mouth to keep from sobbing out loud and felt the hot tears running down his cheeks. Had he been so wrong after all? How... how could this have happened?

He turned away from the desk and thus also from the evidence on it, propped himself up with both arms against the wall behind him and could only keep himself on his feet to some extent with great difficulty. His tears were dripping in heaps onto the floor and he could no longer prevent a choppy sob. He felt his stomach acid rise and he felt nauseous, and for a brief moment, he had the overwhelming urge to throw up, but just managed to hold it back.

And suddenly, the despair that had been spreading through him for the last few minutes gave way to another feeling: anger. First at himself for having been so stupid as to believe that he had met the real Seto Kaiba. Now, he had to realise that all that was a lie, just as his gut feeling had made him suspect when this had all started. And then, he felt hatred, so much hatred for the man who had made him think he loved him. A short, hysterical laugh escaped Joey’s throat. He had let himself be so blinded, and how stupid he had been to trust him blindly. He should have known better, but when he still had a realistic chance to distance himself from him, he hadn’t done it, had let himself be pulled into an emotional whirlpool, believing until the end that this was love. But it wasn’t love, no, there was only one word that could accurately describe it: Manipulation. And Joey had allowed it and closed his eyes to the obvious.

He felt a calm come over him that almost scared him a little. How could he suddenly be so calm when his whole world, or at least the world as he thought he knew it, had just collapsed around him and shattered into thousands of shards? He looked around, then found a pen and a piece of paper and frantically scribbled what he had to say. Next to the note, he put his mobile phone - he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice, after all. Then, he moved away from the desk. As if automatically, his feet carried him towards the door, which he opened before taking another quick look back. He felt tears welling up in his eyes again as he mentally said goodbye to this room, for he knew he would not return - ever.

~~~~

„Hey, Joey, sorry I’m late, I got held up at work. Did you have to... huh?“ When Seto opened the door to his home office, he was already way too late, so he had assumed he would find his puppy right here. Had he perhaps returned to his apartment? He couldn’t blame him if he had, after all, he was certainly 30 minutes late.

Seto took his phone out of his pocket and dialled Joey’s number. To his surprise, he found that he could hear a vibrating sound nearby as soon as he pressed the green receiver on his phone. Confused, he looked up and tried to figure out from which direction the sounds were coming when he realised they were coming from his desk.

He hung up again and walked slowly towards his desk. Sure enough, Joey’s mobile was here, but why? Wondering, he scratched the back of his head and stepped closer - and then he saw it. His heart immediately stopped for a few heartbeats, his eyes widened in horror and he tried to connect the dots logically.

He had forgotten to put the folder away. Joey obviously had to have been here before him, that alone was shown by the fact that his phone was in this room. Moreover, Seto knew that he had opened not the first but the last page of the folder. He was left breathless - no doubt Joey had seen the folder, including the first page where he had noted his actual plan when Joey had moved in with them - the plan to make Joey fall in love with him, and a web of ideas on how he could do it.

At that moment, his eyes fell on a letter beside the folder, right next to Joey’s mobile, and it was unmistakably the blond’s handwriting.

‚Seto,

I should have known. And now, I should be mad at you, but you know what? I’m not. You weren’t the stupid one here who got blinded. I was. I really thought you loved me. Ridiculous, right? You probably thought you had me trapped, and hey, really? You did. Maybe I wanted to be fooled, too. Though I’m surprised you really went that far and how much you did to keep your good reputation, but you’re just Seto Kaiba. What was it you used to say? The end justifies the means. Congratulations, you really managed to put your plan into action. You must be extremely proud of yourself.

Anyway, since these are the last words you’ll hear - or rather, read - from me, I might as well put all my cards on the table. I really, truly loved you, Seto. The last few months have been the most beautiful of my entire life. You made me forget how dark my life was. You helped me get up when I was too weak. You gave me back my will to live. 

And now, I wake up only to realise it was all a lie. You made my life a house of cards, with you as the supporting pillars - and now you’ve pulled out the bottom card. And I’m back to square one. I know now that I will never be able to escape this vicious circle. Never. Because the person who helped me the most to get out of it is not the person I thought I knew.

But I’ve learned too - this time, you won’t be able to find me. And even if you do - it will be too late.

Farewell, my dragon.

Joey‘

Trembling, he held the paper in his hands. A flood of tears, the likes of which he had never cried before, ran down his cheeks. He could no longer breathe and he felt panic rising inside him. For a second, he was in a state of shock, unable to move.

Then, everything happened very quickly. He reached for his mobile phone, called Roland and alerted the police. Maybe it was already too late, maybe he couldn’t save him - but he wouldn’t give up. He couldn’t. He had to try and cling to the tiny hope that he would still get there in time, that he would return to him.

Rushed, he stormed out of his office and ran off, where to, he didn’t really know. In the hallway, he bumped into Mokuba, who looked at him in shock - he had never seen him cry before, and Seto could only imagine how he, who was usually so controlled, must seem to his little brother right now. But he didn’t care about that, or anything else. He had to find Joey and he would do whatever it took.

„Seto, what...“ he heard Mokuba stammer. Seto lacked the breath to answer much, so only a few words managed to leave his mouth as he replied, „Joey... the letter.... in my office... Please wait here in case he comes back.“

With those words, he ran off again, still completely aimless. But he knew he would leave no stone unturned in this damn city and find him. He had no other choice. He just didn’t know if he would still be breathing when he finally found him.

~~~~

It was warmer than the last time he had stood here. A light breeze blew around his nose as the last rays of the day’s sun said goodbye. The railing behind him was still warmed by them. Strange how it could feel so different today. But what was he kidding himself, he too was a different person today, so it was only natural that he felt different too. But today had shown him that this change, which at times, he had felt was very positive, was built on hard lies.

He had hoped so much that it had been true. At some point in the last few months, he had realised that he had actually wanted to be rescued, and Seto had been his knight in shining armour. At least, that was what he had imagined until today. But it had all been a game, and Joey had blindly gone along with it.

  
Joey took a deep breath. He couldn’t change the past, and there was no reason to grieve over it any more. He had been stupid, yes, but he would now draw the consequences he should have drawn six months ago.

He looked down, it would be barely half a minute before he hit the ground. When he had realised where he had run to earlier, he had been surprised at himself - it was the same skyscraper as it had been half a year ago. But something about it gave him the courage he so desperately needed now. This time, he wouldn’t hesitate because he knew there would be nothing and no one left who could save him now.

The time had come. He released both hands from the railing at the same time and began to slowly lean forward. And as he closed his eyes and bent forward inch by inch, all the desperate tears flowed down his cheeks again and fought their way out. In his mind’s eye, his life flashed before him once more - his parents‘ divorce, the violence, Seto’s betrayal. It hurt so much that he could only hope it would finally be over.

Time passed as if in slow motion when he suddenly heard energetic footsteps behind him. His first foot was about to come off the ledge when strong arms pulled him back to the railing which made him exhale loudly. He hadn’t even noticed how he had been holding his breath.

He felt the person holding him trembling all over his body, could hear his bumpy breath against his ear, could detect the soft sobbing. He didn’t have to say anything, he knew immediately who was standing behind him because he recognised him by his smell. He should have known that it had been a stupid idea to choose the same skyscraper as half a year ago. It was obvious that he would search here.

Joey’s whole body suddenly went limp. He had failed again to put his plan into action, but he no longer had the strength to get angry about it. „Let me die, please,“ were the only words he managed to get out powerlessly in a monotone voice.

The sobbing behind him grew louder, but his voice was no more than a restless whisper. „I can’t, Joey.“

They remained in this position for a while. Joey was still so close to the abyss, but he knew Seto was just stronger, and he had never seen him as strong as he was now, despite the fact that his whole body was shaking. „Why not?“ asked Joey, but really, he didn’t care about the answer. He couldn’t think straight anymore, just wanted it to be over at last.

He heard Seto take a few deep breaths in and out, probably his desperate attempt to calm down somehow. „Because I love you, my puppy.“

And that’s when Joey felt the anger rise up inside him again, with a force that threatened to overwhelm him. The energy returned to his limbs and he tried to break free of Seto’s restraints, but the brunet simply outmatched him. Squirming in his arms, Joey cried out in a flurry, „Haven’t you played your game with me long enough? You’ve covered yourself now, you’ve collected enough evidence over the months to protect your company, now let me die! That was the initial deal, remember?“

But Seto didn’t move an inch. „Please, let me explain, Joey. It’s not what you think. Please, come back to the roof.“ Joey could feel Seto crying hard, but he couldn’t let him lull him back in now. He had to remind himself again how he had been leading him on for the last few months.

Joey snorted angrily as he replied, „There’s nothing more to explain. It was clear that you were messing with me. And I was stupid enough not to notice.“

Suddenly, he felt himself being pulled back jerkily onto the roof. It came as such a surprise to him that he didn’t have time to fight back, and just as he was about to turn back around to climb over the parapet again, he was pulled into a hug by Seto. He struggled to break away from him, and instead of being successful with that, he was only pulled more onto the roof and further away from the railing.

Seto’s mouth was right by his ear, so he could now hear his words clearly, even if it was no more than a murmur. „Yes, there is quite a lot to explain. Please, just listen to me for two minutes, okay?“

In a last-ditch effort, he tried to break away from the brunet, but it was simply futile. He wasn’t going to get away from here. So he’d have to try the means of a Kaiba - manipulation.

„All right, I’ll listen to you, on one condition,“ Joey began. Seto nodded and Joey knew he would agree to anything he was about to say. „If you can’t convince me, you let me die.“

Another sob came from Seto’s throat and Joey hated himself for the fact that it still had such a strong effect on him. There was still a part of him that wanted to return Seto’s embrace, to stroke his back and tell him that everything was going to be all right. This part was obviously the masochistic part of him, which probably found it insanely great to be betrayed and hurt like this. But fortunately, he could control himself and would certainly not give in to this longing.

Now, it was Seto who had his back to the wall. He had no choice but to acquiesce if he wanted Joey to listen to him. Joey felt him nod tentatively and his trembling even increased a little.

Then, Seto began his explanation. „I’m gonna lay all my cards on the table and be completely open and honest with you. Because nothing else is what you deserve now. Actually, you deserved it much sooner, but I was just too cowardly because I knew I could lose you because of it, but now I know I was wrong not to tell you. I’m so sorry, Joey...“

His monologue was only momentarily interrupted by another sob, then, he continued.

„The truth is that what you found in my folder was my plan, in the very beginning. When I first picked you up here, from an emotional point of view, I wouldn’t have cared if you had jumped. I had purely economic interests, and as you saw from my plan, I would have done anything to protect them. And if I had had to manipulate you for that, then that’s what I would have done. I guess I did, in the beginning. But that changed faster than I would have thought possible.“

Joey felt Seto strengthen the hug even more. He couldn’t hide his surprise at the brunet’s honesty. What he said was so vile, so base, that it had to be true, of that Joey was quite sure. But before he could waste any more thought on it, Seto spoke on.

„That day when we were together by the sea, everything changed for me. I completely lost sight of what I was trying to do, and it wasn’t as if I had already worked out a great strategy. To be honest, I was at a complete loss. I didn’t understand anything about love and such. Until you came along and taught me exactly that. On our day by the sea, you opened my eyes and showed me who you really are. And I showed you who I really am. No one knows this side of me, in large parts not even Mokuba, still doesn’t. But it was real, you can believe me, just like everything that followed.“

Suddenly, he felt Seto loosen his embrace and his two large hands came to his cheeks, pulling his head so that he had to look into his deep blue eyes. Joey realised how red and tearful they were and fought with all his might against feeling pity. Seto was not the victim here, he had to remind himself of that over and over again.

With an exasperated undertone, the brunet continued talking. „It was all real, Joey. Before we kissed for the first time, I kept thinking about when I could see you again, not just at breakfast or at school, but how I could have you all to myself. How I could make you shine. And then, we kissed and I knew I would never get away from you again. I wasn’t so aware of it at the time, but today, I can clearly say that that was the moment when I completely fell in love with you. And when we were then also physically united, that was topping it all off. Do you really think I could have played that? I love touching you like this and knowing that I’m the only one for you. And that you’re the only one for me who will ever see me like this. I love you, Joey, and I’ll gladly tell you a million times if that’s what you need. I love you, always. Please, you have to believe me!“

But Joey couldn’t say anything back, he was paralysed. Only a few hours ago, he had believed that Seto’s eyes would always tell him everything that was going on inside him, even if he said nothing at all. And even now, he could see the many emotions in them, and if he still followed the naivety he had displayed until now, he would believe him and his words because his eyes signalled exactly the same thing to him. But he couldn’t - or wouldn’t.

„And the thing with the folder,“ the brunet continued, still with a firm grip around his face, „that actually had the purpose of securing ‚evidence‘, if you like, at the beginning. But at the latest since our day at the seaside, it had changed completely. I saw it less as securing evidence and more as securing memories. I wanted to capture the moments with you and treasure them forever. To be able to look at them whenever I wanted. The first page, the mind map you saw, I created in the first few days, shortly after you moved in with us. Afterwards, I never touched it again. It became more of a photo album because I just couldn’t get enough of you, and still can’t. Joey, just one word and I’ll burn the whole damn folder if you want. That would also destroy the original purpose, but I don’t care about that because it doesn’t exist anymore. What I do care about is you. Nothing I said to you was a lie. I wanna make you happy, even if it doesn’t look like it right now. I wanna see you laugh, be there for you when you cry or threaten to fall. I wanna spend my entire life with you, Joey. I love you, more than anything in the world, and I would do or give up anything for you. God, if you told me to sell my company, I would do that if that’s what I have to do to keep you in my life. I know I have betrayed your trust, very much so, and I will work all my life to iron that out. But please, stay with me. Please...“

After his last words, scattered tears flowed down Seto’s cheeks again and Joey had an overwhelming urge to just brush them away, take him in his arms and kiss him gently. He couldn’t stop Seto’s words from bringing a warmth to him and tears from welling up in his own eyes, but he couldn’t let himself be manipulated - he’d let that happen far too often in the last few months.

So Joey put on a hard face and asked, „You done?“ Breathlessly, Seto nodded. Joey now took Seto’s hands from his face and for a brief moment, he could see hope flash in the brunet’s eyes. However, that quickly disappeared as Joey released their hands again and pushed Seto away from him with one hand against his chest.

„Good, then you may leave now. Goodbye.“ Joey turned his back on him and started to walk back towards the railing, to climb over the parapet again and finally put an end to his life. Seto, however, was probably not going to leave it at that - he was no longer physically close to him, but his desperate cries shook Joey to the core so that he could not move for a few seconds.

„No!!! Please, if you don’t do it for me, think of who else you’re leaving behind. People you care about and who care about you. Your friends, your mum, your sister. How will they feel when they lose you?“

Joey paused, feeling himself lose his breath again. He knew Seto was mercilessly manipulating him right now, but part of him could understand that too - it was the last option he had. And damn it, Joey hated to admit it, but it was working. Could he really do this to all those people Seto had just listed? Six months ago, he would have, but today, with the bond with his family in particular much tighter again, things somehow looked very different.

Joey clenched his hands into fists because he knew he had to give up. There was no way around it, he would not be able to jump anymore. He was angry and desperate because he knew he had to put up with all the pain for this now, but he wouldn’t give Seto the satisfaction of seeing him like this. So he took a deep breath, then turned back to the brunet and said in a demanding tone, „Gimme your phone.“

Seto had to collect himself for a few moments until he obviously understood what Joey was asking of him. He took the mobile phone out of his pocket and handed it to the blond, who purposefully typed in a number and pressed the green receiver. After only a few seconds, the person on the other line picked up and he heard the familiar voice ask in confusion, „Kaiba?“

„No, it’s Joey, Yugi. Hey, can I crash at your place for a few days?“ No sooner had he uttered those words than he saw Seto’s eyes widen, but he didn’t move from the spot.

„Joey, what... yeah, sure you can come here for a few days. What happened?“

„I’ll explain later. I’ll just grab a few things and be on my way.“ With that, the blond ended the call and handed the phone back to Seto. With a proper distance, he walked past him, then said, „Here’s what’s gonna happen now: We’re going back to the mansion. There, I’ll pack a few things and then I’ll leave. And you’re not gonna stop me.“

He could tell Seto was about to say something, and without turning to look at him again, he raised a hand and gestured for him to be silent. „You don’t even have to try. You won’t be able to stop me.“ With those words, he started moving and could feel Seto reluctantly following him. Everything inside him ached and the pain threatened to overwhelm him, but he would not show it to the brunet ever again. He would prove to him that he had no more power over him, no matter what flattering or pretty words he chose. It was over, and Joey abruptly had the crushing feeling that he hadn’t even made it to the starting line.

~~~~

He had saved Joey’s life - again. But at what price? He was leaving him, and if Seto was honest with himself, he didn’t deserve it any other way. He should have listened to Mokuba, should have let Joey in on the plan when he still had a chance. But that had taken such a back seat again in the last few weeks that he hadn’t given it a second thought, even when he’d stuck another photo in the folder. He hadn’t lied, that folder had developed into just a photo album, and he loved every photo in it because they all depicted his puppy.

For the first time in his life, he felt absolutely powerless. He had to watch Joey go to his apartment and pack his stuff. He was going to leave him, walk out of his life just like that, and there was nothing he could do to stop him. He had said all he could say, but that hadn’t been enough to convince the blond to stay.

Again, he registered his whole body tightening. He stood outside Joey’s door, waiting for the inevitable to happen, all the while trying to breathe. This was getting harder by the second because he knew that the person who gave him the air to breathe was about to disappear from his life.

He heard the door next to him open and saw the blond step out, looking at him with a look of contempt. Seto felt sick, almost unable to withstand his gaze. „Joey... please, don’t leave me,“ he pleaded with him, in a last-ditch effort. Joey looked at him insistently, but he couldn’t make heads or tails of his eyes. He took a few steps towards him, quite close in fact. Then, he stood on his tiptoes so his mouth could reach his ear and whispered to him, „Goodbye, **_Kaiba_**.“ With those last words, he moved past him and was gone.

For minutes after, Seto stood transfixed in the hallway. Only after quite a while did he make his way to his office as if in a trance, closing the door behind him. He was gone, the person who meant the most to him and whom he loved more than words could describe had irrevocably turned his back on him. A feeling spread from the pit of his stomach to all directions within his body, despair and anger at himself so strong he could no longer control it. He cried out loudly, walked towards his desk and throwing the folder harshly into a corner. No, that was not enough. He picked up the desk lamp and let it smash against the opposite wall before taking some books from the shelves and sending them flying across the room. It was only when he slammed his bare fist into a wall and realised he was bleeding that the anger ebbed and gave way to pure despair. He squatted on the floor, leaning against the wall, and slumped completely, letting all the tears run free. He was absolutely powerless against what he was feeling right now. The one thing that had given him meaning in life was gone, and it pulled the rug from under his feet.

Only when he noticed his little brother hugging him did he escape his thoughts again. He lifted his head and looked Mokuba in the eye. „Joey is gone, Mokuba. I lost him.“ He slapped his hands over his head and collapsed again, his voice no more than a croaky sob. „I know, Seto, I know,“ he heard Mokuba say, and as he was pulled by him into another tight hug, he realised how the younger one was also shedding a sea of tears.


	21. Rescue me... maybe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because it is mentioned in the text: Golden Week is from 29 April to 5 May.
> 
> ~~~~
> 
> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> Seto's POV:
> 
> Echo - Jason Walker
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/7v5s7YFXrwzytRan0HtZGb?si=P95NJgYxT_SDxizKhVf47w  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxpLxb5jHO0
> 
> Hello, hello  
> Anybody out there? Cause I don't hear a sound  
> Alone, alone  
> I don't really know where the world is but I miss it now
> 
> Listen, listen  
> I would take a whisper if that's all you had to give  
> But it isn't, isn't  
> You could come and save me and try to chase the crazy right out of my head
> 
> Cause my echo, echo  
> Is the only voice coming back  
> Shadow, shadow  
> Is the only friend that I have
> 
> I don't wanna be an island  
> I just wanna feel alive and  
> Get to see your face again
> 
> For everything afterwards:
> 
> I Still Love You - Josh Jenkins
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/2Zcz1ZFy0JlGVX0oXn7vE7?si=YMfIwbciT8eXDhEpmTfjmw  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M73Ymvq6Bg
> 
> We both said some things we didn't mean  
> We took our cheap shots, didn't we?  
> You grabbed your coat and keys and said  
> "I think I need to leave right now"  
> Ooh, ooh, you're kinda talking crazy  
> Oh, oh-oh, don't want to lose you baby
> 
> I close my eyes and see your face  
> Can feel your touch, can almost taste  
> Lie to myself that I'm okay  
> But the thought of you, it stops me  
> Ooh, ooh, frozen are the words  
> Heavy from the hurt  
> Oh, your love, I can't pretend  
> I need to tell ya
> 
> I still love you, darling  
> With every inch of my heart  
> Even when (I) don't want to  
> I still love you  
> I still love you, darling  
> I live and die by your side  
> Even when (I) don't want to  
> I still love you

When his alarm clock rang, Seto was already awake. Sleep was something he could not count among his faithful companions in the last few days. Most nights, he would just lay motionless in bed, thinking about what he had lost. The bed felt so empty without Joey, and the same feeling spread through his heart.

He had cried all the tears he had never thought he had in him in the first place. But there was nothing left of them. He rose from the bed in melancholy and went to his dressing room. He hadn’t paid much attention to how he dressed lately because it just seemed so unimportant to him. So he put on something and went briefly to the bathroom to at least wash his face. The reflection in the mirror made it obvious that he was only a shadow of himself. The circles under his eyes fell deep into his cheeks and he was pale. The blue in his eyes had lost all its shine. He could not bear to look at himself because he despised himself for what he had done to Joey. He averted his eyes again and made his way to the dining room.

Mokuba was already waiting for him and greeted him with a worried look. He sat down in his usual seat and looked over at the chair that had belonged to the blond whirlwind in his life just a week ago and was now empty. If he was honest, that chair would be his forever and he would never let anyone else sit there ever again.

As was the current custom, he just wrinkled his nose as the food was served to him. He hadn’t really eaten anything for days. He didn’t touch his coffee either, because it reminded him far too much of how alike Joey and he were when it came to their coffee preferences. He often spent the time at breakfast staring at Joey’s seat and imagining he was here, lighting up the entire room with his grin.

When he realised that Mokuba had finished his breakfast, he rose and made his way to the limo. His features were completely emotionless, which was nothing out of the ordinary for anyone who didn’t know him as well as Joey did. At least he didn’t attract any extra attention now. The seat in the car next to him also remained empty. He closed his eyes and remembered how their fingertips had touched throughout the ride, how they had kissed one last time before they started their school day. Seto had to groan painfully. It was always the same memories that haunted him, the everyday moments with his puppy that had been part of their usual life only a short time ago and yet he had not appreciated enough.

The limousine came to a stop and the door was held open for him to get out. It was a sunny day and the lack of sleep made it almost unbearable for him, which was why he had taken to wearing sunglasses. Then, at least the deep circles under his eyes could not be seen so much either. Lugubriously, he started moving to go to class - another day he would spend without the blond, and thus another day in a long list of days that seemed absolutely pointless to him.

That wasn’t quite true, though, because Joey also went to school, they were even in the same class. But he skilfully ignored him, just like the rest of the ‚nerd herd‘, and that was exactly the problem. He could have dealt with wild accusations, name-calling, insults, even brute force, but just being left out and pretending he didn’t exist anymore, that’s what hit him the hardest. He could not handle this situation at all. 

He stayed in the background, and whenever he could, he escaped from the classroom. He couldn’t stand Joey’s picture. His usually energetic puppy was nothing more than a pile of misery. He hadn’t seen him laugh once in the last week and he knew it was all his fault. He had drained the life out of him, and the hatred he felt for himself only grew stronger.

And as he sat there in his chair, in their classroom, and saw the blond sitting so lethargically in the front of the room, he knew he would do anything to see him happy again, to give him back his laughter. And if that was only possible without him, then he had to accept that. That thought made every fibre of his body ache, but he would just do anything for him.

It was only the second period of the day, but Seto could take no more. He had to get out of here before he collapsed in front of the whole class. He would like to spare himself the humiliation. So he packed his bag and got up in the middle of the lesson, making a move to leave the classroom. This obviously caused some confusion, not only on the part of the students but also their teacher. 

„Mr Kaiba, may I ask where you’re going?“ she asked him, and he stopped for a second at the door, his hand already on the handle, his sunglasses in his free hand. He turned so that he could see Joey out of the corner of his eye, but inconspicuously enough so that no one else would notice - and recognised the latter looking out of the window, lost in thought, not even giving him a single glance. He sighed, put on his sunglasses and left the room without answering the teacher’s question. Just in time before a lone tear made its way down his cheek.

Arriving at the mansion, he was undecided where to go. There was no place that did not remind him of Joey. His presence was still felt everywhere, even though he had been gone for a week. In the end, it didn’t matter where he went. He would be foolish to think he could shake off the thought of those golden-brown eyes just because he was in a place that had not yet been touched by Joey. So he decided to go to his home office, even though he had delegated most of his tasks for the past week. He was reluctant to relinquish control, especially where his company was concerned, but he felt he was simply not sane in this state. To meet with business partners now, for example, would be absurd and would only raise more questions than it would lead to solutions.

He only awoke from his stupor when he realised that the sun had long since set. What time was it now? Had Mokuba already eaten dinner? Not that he had eaten much himself, but Mokuba was still growing, it was important that he ate enough. As far as he himself was concerned, he didn’t really care right now if there would be any long-term consequences. He couldn’t think any further than the next hour at the moment anyway, and the same question kept tormenting him: how could he possibly manage to survive until then without hearing Joey’s voice?

When the light was switched on, Seto had to protectively hold his hands over his eyes so that they could slowly get used to the sudden brightness. „Here you are, Seto,“ he heard Mokuba say accusingly. He was already in his sleeping pyjamas. So it was that late already?

„Mokuba, you’re supposed to be in bed by now.“ That was all he could think of, and it was a reasonably innocuous sentence, but it didn’t seem to satisfy his brother. He saw the smaller one furrow his eyebrows angrily and stomp towards him with energetic steps.

He propped his hands on the desk and asked, leaning towards him, „Have you eaten anything, Seto?“

Let’s see, had he? If he really had to think about that question first, it was probably pretty unlikely. „I don’t think so, no,“ he answered truthfully, which earned him another evil Kaiba look from the teen.

Suddenly, Mokuba raised both hands, only to then slam them back down on the desk with full force, his voice raised, „You can’t go on like this, Seto! You look like shit, and that’s still a huge understatement.“

Seto looked blankly into his brother’s eyes and shrugged. „Do I have a choice, then? I don’t feel like I can do anything. He won’t come back to me, Mokuba.“ Seto felt his eyes moisten slightly, but he just managed to let the rising tears dry up again.

„Is that so? Have you even tried for the past week?“

„The night he left, yes. And he made it clear that he hated me.“ The memory of that brought back all the pain too, and he was finding it hard to bear.

„And after that? Man, Seto, you don’t usually give up so easily! What’s wrong with you?!“

He looked at Mokuba a little closer now. He had really gotten angry, and he wasn’t entirely wrong in what he said. But still, Seto had the crushing feeling that whatever he tried, it was futile anyway.

Exhausted, he heaved a sigh. „And what do you think I should do? I just don’t see anything promising.“

Mokuba sat down on the ‚visitor’s chair‘ in front of his desk and folded his arms in front of his body. You could tell he was thinking intensely. But then, an idea seemed to occur to him.

„This isn’t extremely specific now, but I think you need to do something for him that you haven’t done for anyone else. Not even for me. Something that reveals a bit more about you to him, something he doesn’t yet know about you. At least from my point of view, that could be very good proof that you really mean it. Because you would also be making yourself vulnerable, which would be in stark contrast to your actual plan.“

„And what would that be? He knows me better than any other person, Mokuba. He already knows sides of me that you don’t.“ He was taken aback by his own words - had he hurt his brother by saying that? But the latter still seemed to be working on a solution rather than taking it personally now. Wasn’t that also somehow logical, that siblings knew you differently than your partner, and vice versa?

His eyes wandered and now slid unfocused around the room. Suddenly, his eyes met his desk calendar, and when he recognised the red circle around the next Saturday, he had an idea.

His little brother had apparently noticed it and read it off his face. But instead of asking questions about what idea Seto had come up with, he just nodded at him and then asked, „How can I help?“

That was an excellent question because, in order to actually put that idea into action, they had to convince Joey to get in a car with him and let him drive him around the country for hours. But it was a first clue, and for the first time in a week, he felt he had regained a very small bit of control over his life. And he had hope, hope that he would be allowed to see those golden eyes again and then maybe everything would be all right - or he would go down forever.

~~~~

Even now, his ice-blue eyes followed Joey wherever he went, whether Seto was present or not. Since Seto had left the classroom in the middle of a lesson two days ago, it had become even worse. No matter how much he tried to resist it, he missed him. Or rather, he missed the version he had played on him before he had got exposed.

When Joey had explained the situation to Yugi, the latter had been very understanding and offered to stay as long as he wanted, and Joey had accepted gratefully, if only because of the lack of alternatives. The last week had been hard for him and he had withdrawn a lot, from his friends and from pretty much everything and everyone in the rest of the world out there. This afternoon would be the first time he would go back to work at the cafe, but he only had a short shift and would be back for dinner at the Mutos‘. This would be the first evening he would open up a little to the outside world again, even if he felt dead inside.

He was always amazed at how little he could do right now without thinking about the brunet. He could barely get any food down because he felt reminded of how they had always eaten together. He hadn’t touched coffee for a while, for pretty much the same reason. And despite the fact that he was staying in the guest room here at Yugi’s, which had absolutely nothing in common with his apartment at the Kaibas‘, the bed he slept in felt cold without his dragon by his side.

Sighing, he got out of bed and got ready for another day of school that felt insanely useless. He had nothing to look forward to anymore, and since Seto had now probably decided not to come to school either, it only felt more pointless. At least Golden Week was coming up, so they would be off school for a few days starting tomorrow. Even though he didn’t know at all what to do with his free time. Maybe he would ask for an extra shift at the cafe so that he would at least have something to keep him occupied.

His shift at the cafe began in the afternoon and he tried with all his might to produce at least the beginnings of a smile, but when he looked his colleagues in the face like this, he could only strongly suspect that he had little success. He went about his work as if it were automatic, but he had to realise how much it was sapping his strength, and yet his energy reserves were already completely exhausted.

He simply could not deny it, no matter how hard he tried. He missed Seto. Still, a part of him clung to the hope that he had seen the real Seto Kaiba and that the words he had said the last time they had spoken were true. Although Joey had shed tears many times in their relationship, he had never seen Seto cry himself, and he could hardly imagine that others could say that about themselves. He had probably rarely, if ever, cried even in front of Mokuba. Was that a sign that Seto had finally opened up the whole truth to him after all?

It had been the hardest evening in his entire life when he had left him. During his last words to him, he could feel the pain everywhere, and not letting it leak out took all his remaining strength. No sooner had he left the mansion than he had collapsed on the floor, giving free rein to all the tears he had so convulsively suppressed. Even now, just remembering it, his whole body trembled. He had been the meaning in his life, and now he was gone.

The other part of Joey condemned himself to the utmost for still hoping, for daring to believe what Seto had told him. That he bought his renewed tall tales. He was obviously out of his mind. Anyone with an ounce of intelligence wouldn’t give a second thought to a traitor like him after such a big deception.

Joey heaved an audible sigh. He just couldn’t help it, both sides - that of hope and that of contempt for Seto - existed within him and were fighting a fierce battle. However, the winner was yet to be decided.

The bell on the door that announced a new customer entering the cafe rang, and Joey turned to greet the newcomer politely as usual. „Welco...“ That was as far as he got when he saw who had just walked in. What was Mokuba doing here?

For a few seconds, they just looked into each other’s eyes, then Mokuba came up to him and started the conversation, while he couldn’t hide the worry lines on his face. „Hey, Joey, sorry to just show up here unannounced at your workplace. Would you have time to talk after work?“

Joey was a little overwhelmed with the situation and his gaze slid outside. „Don’t worry, he’s not here,“ Mokuba added, and Joey could detect an understanding smile on the shorter boy’s face. He sighed and gave in. He would survive a conversation with Mokuba somehow. Besides, he was a Kaiba - he would probably just force this conversation on him anyway.

At 6.30 p.m. Joey called it a day and stepped out into the evening, where Mokuba was already waiting for him. They nodded to each other in renewed greeting and at first walked a few metres side by side in silence, simply wandering together through the streets of the city.

Joey put his hands in his pockets and looked up at the sky, then asked, „Did you know?“ Mokuba wouldn’t have to ask what this was all about, the blond thought him clever enough to understand it that way. He was not disappointed, for the younger Kaiba brother was able to follow him.

He heard Mokuba take a deep breath before he said, „Yes, I knew. From the start, to be completely honest. I tried to dissuade Seto from the plan, but he was very convinced, at least at the beginning. Then, that changed pretty quickly.“

Joey didn’t really know what to do with this knowledge. The fact that Mokuba had known but had not seen fit to let him in on it, pained him, very much so. He had trusted him, too, and now, he had the feeling that he had been fooled by both Kaibas.

This could obviously be read very clearly on his face, and out of the corner of his eye, he could see Mokuba watching him intently from the side, waiting for a reaction. Then, he averted his eyes and started talking again.

„And then, when you officially told me about your relationship, that’s when I confronted Seto. I accused him of only wanting to hurt you and that his plan had now worked out. You should have seen the look on his face, Joey. I’ve honestly never seen him so stunned.“

Stunned? Why was that? Joey was annoyed with himself, but he had rarely managed in his life to let his mind prevail over his curiosity, and in this case, too, his head could not score a point. Questioningly, he looked at Mokuba, who understood and went on.

„He had then explained to me that he had not thought of this plan for a very long time. He hadn’t told me in certain terms, perhaps he wasn’t aware of it himself at the time, but it was quite obvious how in love he was with you. He still is. He is absolutely infatuated with you. He doesn’t eat, he doesn’t even touch his coffee anymore, and he apparently doesn’t sleep at all.“

Joey could clearly read the genuine concern for his big brother in his face. It was amazing how similar their habits were, even now that they were no longer together. They dealt with grief in much the same way, it was almost eerie. A pleasant shiver came over Joey, which he cursed inwardly but could not stop.

Obviously, though, Mokuba had something more to say about it. „Honestly, Joey, that plan was stupid from top to bottom, and I told him so several times. And I think he had realised that pretty quickly too. He had explained to me at the time that your trip to the sea changed everything and after that, he didn’t really care about the plan or the deal anymore. He just wanted to be with you. That hasn’t changed either.“

„Is that so? Then why hasn’t he been coming to school for days?“ asked Joey, instantly upset at how conspicuously he was displaying his curiosity. And could he detect a slight smirk on Mokuba’s lips?

„He told me that he doesn’t want to make you unhappy and feels that he is the reason why you don’t laugh anymore. He feels that if he is not around, you might be able to laugh again.“

Mokuba stopped sighing and now looked him straight in the face. „Joey, he hates himself for what he did to you. Because he didn’t deal with it openly and honestly. He can barely look at himself in the mirror. I don’t recognise him anymore, I’ve never seen him like this before. And honestly, I only kept my mouth shut because back then, after your ‚outing‘ to me, if you want to call it that, he really was able to make me absolutely believe how serious he was about you.“

The blond was confused - could he believe Mokuba, or was he walking straight into the next trap? Maybe Mokuba was in on it somehow? After all, he was a Kaiba too, maybe it was somehow in both their genes to be so abysmally ruthless.

„Joey?“ Oh, he must have just been looking around lost in thought. He looked at Mokuba again, and his worried expression also made a successful comeback.

„Listen, what I actually came for: I wanna ask you to meet with Seto. He really wants to prove to you how serious he is. And if you still don’t want to have anything to do with him afterwards, he’ll accept it. But give him this one chance, Joey. He knows himself that he doesn’t deserve it, but he wants to try.“

Joey looked at Mokuba silently for a few seconds. Then he groaned audibly. „Can I think about it?“ The shorter boy nodded. „Of course. You have my number? Seto didn’t tell me exactly what he was going to do, but he said it was important that you meet this Saturday. I don’t wanna put any unnecessary pressure on you, but maybe you can manage to give me some feedback tomorrow? I don’t know if he has to prepare something or so. Of course, I can totally understand that you want to sleep on it.“

„All right, Mokuba. I’ll check in with you tomorrow, ’kay? I... have to go that way now.“

Mokuba gave him a friendly farewell smile, then he was gone. And Joey had no idea what to do.

Back at the Mutos‘, he found Yugi in the dining room. Had he been waiting for him with dinner?

„Sorry I’m so late, Yugi.“

„No worries, been busy?“ Two curious eyes were on him. Maybe he could help him make a decision?

„Yeah, well, that too, but actually it was because.... I met Mokuba.“

Yugi raised his eyebrows in surprise. „Mokuba? How did that happen?“

Joey took off his jacket and hung it over his chair, then settled down next to Yugi with a loud sigh. „He came to see me at the cafe. Wants me to meet with Seto. On Saturday. Seems to be something special about the day, but Mokuba couldn’t tell me anything more specific either.“

Yugi nodded. „I see. And do you wanna see him?“

The blond put his head back and closed his eyes, massaging the spot between his eyebrows for a few seconds. Then, he replied, „That’s the one million dollar question.“

Yugi seemed to wrestle with himself, seemed torn as to how he was most likely to respond, but what Joey needed most at the moment was complete openness. He had no desire to make his life any more complicated than it already was, wanted straight answers, even at the risk of them hurting.

„Spit it out, Yugi. Whatcha think?“

„I think you should do it. I’ve watched you the last few days, Joey. You’re not doing well at all, and if I’ve analysed Kaiba correctly, you can’t say he’s doing insanely better with it either. I think he changed a lot during and through your relationship, just like you. And yes, maybe he really did plan something nasty at the beginning, but watching you both together, it wasn’t hard to see that it was real. And before you say anything, of course, you tried to hide it from everyone, but from his best friends, it just doesn’t work that well. At least to me, it was very obvious how infatuated you were with each other.“

Smiling, Yugi winked at him and Joey blushed slightly. So they had been such an open book to his friends? Despite what his friend had just told him, the uncertainty remained. He put his arms down in front of him and rested his head on them.

„What are you afraid of, Joey?“

„That I believe him. And that it will all happen again sometime. I don’t wanna find myself in any tall tales. What I feel for him is real, Yug.“

Looking back up into Yugi’s face, he recognised a knowing smile and was instantly confused. Yugi laughed briefly, then said, „You spoke in the present tense. ‚What you feel for him‘ instead of ‚what you felt for him‘. Do it, Joey. My intuition tells me he’ll feel the same way.“

Yugi’s gut feeling was usually good to rely on, both in a duel and in everyday life. Besides, he was right - his feelings for Seto were still there, even if his trust had suffered. That might be stupid after all Seto had done to him, but he couldn’t prevent it. Love didn’t just disappear without a sound.

„You love him very much, don’t you?“ asked Yugi and Joey had to avert his eyes because he felt the first tears welling up in his eyes again.

He nodded hesitantly. „Yes, very much. More than I’d like sometimes.“ Then, he felt a hand on his back, and when he looked back into Yugi’s face, he could perceive an encouraging smile. His friend nodded at him, signalling that he was making the right decision.

He took out his phone and briefly considered texting Mokuba, but then changed his mind. They needed to sort this out between themselves, Mokuba had certainly only intervened because he would never have relented if Seto had approached him directly. So he typed a message and sent it off immediately.

‚I’ll meet you on Saturday. Tell me when and where.‘

Joey sighed - now he could only hope that Yugi was right and he wouldn’t regret his decision.

The time until Saturday passed as if at a snail’s pace. Friday night, Joey almost didn’t sleep a wink. He was nervous about seeing Seto again. He had never been this excited when they had met. He knew that this meeting would be the final decision about how things would go on between them - or whether there would be a future for them at all. And that was exactly what frightened him.

His alarm clock rang at six in the morning. Seto had told him that he would pick him up at Yugi’s by car and that it would be a long drive but had not specified where exactly they were going, which only made Joey more anxious.

He got up immediately, dressed after a quick visit of the bathroom and quietly made his way out of the house. No one was awake yet at such an early hour, so he did his best not to wake anyone.

Of course, he was way too early, and when he opened the front door to the street outside, he had expected not to see anyone else yet - but he had obviously underestimated the brunet, who was leaning against the car with his back turned to Joey. The sun hadn’t fully risen yet, so Joey could easily see, even from a distance, that he was looking at his illuminated mobile phone display and tapping wildly on it. Probably another incompetent employee in the company? He needed all that was left of his self-control not to smile at this. It seemed so absurd to him, but there was nothing he could do about it.

With his hands in his pockets, he walked down the stairs and now stood on the pavement, directly in front of the car. At that moment, Seto also raised his head, and for a few seconds, they just looked into each other’s eyes, neither saying a word. Joey broke the silence first. 

„Hi, Seto.“

He could see Seto’s eyes widen instantly. Ah, yes, the last time they had spoken, he had called him by his last name again. It felt like centuries ago, and he had only done it because he knew it would hurt him. Inwardly, Joey heaved a sigh - didn’t that also make him a bad person in some way, if he was intentionally trying to cause him pain?

„Hi, puppy,“ Seto replied in a soft, whispery voice. Joey’s heart skipped a beat. Yes, he could try to deny it, but it was useless - he had missed him, very much.

Once more, the blond took a deep breath, then he got in on the passenger side and Seto sat down in the driver’s seat. The atmosphere was still awkward, and Joey just didn’t quite know what to say. Then, he looked at Seto from the side as he buckled up and started the engine.

„You look awful, Seto,“ Joey observed, and just couldn’t help laughing softly. He probably didn’t look in great shape himself.

The brunet smiled slightly as he looked at him with those intense blue eyes and replied, „I wish I could say the same about you, Joey.“ What...? Joey was well aware that he had spent the last two weeks eating more poorly than he should have and getting fewer hours of sleep than was actually healthy, but Seto still thought he was... beautiful? They hadn’t even left yet and Joey’s heart was already beating so fast he was afraid it’d explode.

„Good to hear you laugh, puppy,“ the taller one added as they drove off. Joey felt himself start to shake a little - with joy? He was now realising for the umpteenth time how much he had missed him. He hoped so much that today, he would get the confirmation he needed, that they would both have another chance - otherwise, it would break him, he was sure of that. Nevertheless, he couldn’t rush headlong into this now, he had to be careful, not that he would end up being mercilessly manipulated again.

„Where are we going?“ asked Joey curiously now, goaded by Seto’s frank words that gave him the courage to keep the conversation going.

„You’ll see when we get there. I’ll just say this - it’s gonna be a pretty long drive. We’re going near Nagano, into the mountains. It’ll take about three hours, so if you wanna get some sleep, go ahead.“

Sleep? As if that was something to think about now! Joey looked around the car and managed to spot something in the back seat that had - once again - completely piqued his curiosity.

„Are those flowers?“

Seto’s gaze continued to linger on the road, but he could see him nodding. „Yes, but don’t worry, they’re not for you. I’m not that naïve to think I can convince you to come back to me with a simple bouquet of flowers.“ A slight smile crossed his lips. Joey was still going insane from his own feelings. He thought he was just beautiful when he smiled like that, for him. Even if he just didn’t want this anymore, he was powerless.

„And who are they for then?“

„You’ll see that too when we get there. I know this probably sounds totally stupid now, but - trust me.“

Yes, it did sound a bit stupid, he had to agree with Seto. But there had to be _something_ to get out of the taller one!

„Can’t you give me some kind of clue? _Any_ information that could be useful for me?“

„Curious as ever, eh?“ Seto laughed. „Well, the only thing I’m willing to say about it right now is why we’re going there. Mokuba gave me the idea, to be honest, but even he doesn’t know where we’re going. He made the suggestion that I share something with you that I haven’t shared with anyone else. And I haven’t, not even with Mokuba. Not in a single year since...“

„Since?“ Joey was now even more confused than before.

„Sorry, I’m probably raising more questions than I’m answering, aren’t I? You’ll understand everything once we get there.“

Joey let out a sigh. That was all he would get out of him, he knew him well enough for that by now. He leaned his head against the windowpane and watched as the sun slowly rose, heralding the new day, while Seto navigated them out of town.

„Hey, Joey, wake up, we’re here.“ He felt a hand on his cheek, and still half asleep, he pushed himself towards the touch. When he opened his eyes, Seto’s face was close to his, and those blue eyes were driving him absolutely crazy now. Seto’s gaze was so gentle that he couldn’t turn his away. It was amazing that he had been able to sleep at all, he had probably just gotten more hours of sleep than the last few nights combined. But just having Seto there often calmed him down so immensely that he fell asleep quickly. Joey sighed. He had resolved to approach the meeting as neutrally as possible, but nothing was going according to plan at all.

Joey could see longing flashing in Seto’s eyes, but he held back. They both got out and Joey was greeted by cool mountain air and a breathtaking view. When he turned to Seto, he saw that he was watching him incessantly, but giving him time to look around.

And while he did just that, Seto took the flowers from the back seat and a large backpack from the boot, which he strapped to his back.

„What’s in there?“ asked Joey with interest, but Seto just smiled in reply. Then, they set off and walked along a narrow gravel path. Joey noted how pure and clear the mountain air was, albeit cooler than in the city, and the sky also carried more clouds, but that should only be fine with him. He had put on a slightly thicker jacket - he could always take something off, but he didn’t necessarily want to freeze, and since he hadn’t known where exactly they were going, he had prepared himself for all eventualities.

Suddenly, Joey spotted something in the distance. Was that... a graveyard?

„Seto? You sure this is the right place?“ The taller one, who had walked a few steps ahead of him, turned to him and nodded in confirmation. So Joey continued walking too but still couldn’t make sense of why they were here.

But Seto seemed to know exactly where they had to go. Determined, he steered them both through the graveyard until he seemed to have found what he was looking for. They stopped in front of a larger grave that was very well maintained. There were two black marble headstones and the grave area had been beautifully planted. There was a vase at the side, which Seto picked up, obviously looking for a tap when an elderly man approached him.

„Good morning, Mr Kaiba. It’s good to see you again. The year goes by so quickly, doesn’t it?“ Seto turned to the man, who was apparently the graveyard caretaker, and greeted him with a friendly nod as well, at least by Kaiba standards.

„Do you mind making sure we‘re undisturbed?“ asked Seto. The elderly man tilted his head and grinned. „Of course. Let me handle the water.“ Then, he moved away briefly, only to hand the vase with freshly filled water to Seto a little later, who then put in the flowers he had brought and returned the vase to its place.

Afterwards, he rummaged a blanket out of his backpack, which he placed in front of the grave, on a small meadow. He motioned for Joey to sit down, who still couldn’t really comprehend what was happening. But he could somehow sense that this was significant to Seto, so he matched his pace. He would understand soon enough.

They took a seat on the blanket and there was silence for a moment. Joey tried to somehow make sense of Seto’s look, but he had put on an impenetrable expression and was staring at the two graves in front of him as if he didn’t know how to begin. Then, he took a deep breath and began to speak, and after his first words, Joey’s breath was taken away.

„Hi, Mum, hi, Dad.“

Joey’s eyes widened to an immeasurable extent. Mum? Dad? His... real parents?

Seto’s expression softened as he took Joey’s hand but still kept his gaze forward. Joey was so perplexed that he couldn’t react at all. He just let it happen.

„This is the first time I’ve not been here alone, right? Well, who of you thought that would ever happen?“ Seto laughed so warmly that Joey’s heart leapt.

„This here is Joey. I think I told you about him at some point. We’re classmates, and he used to get on my nerves a lot. Oh, you can’t imagine how much.“

„Hey!“ exclaimed Joey on impulse, feeling he had interrupted an intimate conversation. But when Seto looked at him for a moment, with that eerily affectionate look, he melted and couldn’t help but return the handshake now too. He could see the astonishment flicker in Seto’s eyes, then the brunet strengthened the handshake a little more and kept his smile.

„Anyway, that has changed. A lot. Mum, Dad, I love him. More than I’ve ever loved anything or anyone.“

Seto now turned his gaze fully on Joey as he addressed the next words to his dead parents. „I have made many mistakes, and probably very many more will follow. He is the first person I feel this way about, and he will be the last. I will fight every day to deserve his love, even if it’s the last thing I do. I wanna be the person for him who is worthy of being loved by him. And I’ll do anything for that.“

Joey’s eyes widened and he couldn’t hold back the tears. This whole situation was so surreal and yet at the same time so breathtakingly beautiful. Seto took Joey’s hand and brought the back of his hand to his lips, giving it a very tender kiss, and Joey felt like his heart was about to explode.

For a while, they sat together in silence, still hand in hand. Seto didn’t seem to be afraid of being watched here, but then again, the graveyard caretaker had said he would give them peace. He was nowhere to be seen himself, and it was still early in the morning.

Joey had a million different questions running through his head, and he didn’t quite know where to start. That’s when Seto beat him to it.

„My parents died when I was nine, when Mokuba was just four. He doesn’t remember them very well, but I do. We were adopted by Gozaburo when I was twelve.“

Joey had waited a very long time to know more about Seto’s life before his adoption, and his wish seemed to be coming true today. Already he felt gratitude welling up inside him, completely negating all the anger and despair of the last two weeks.

„Will you tell me about them?“ he asked cautiously, now taking Seto’s second hand in his as well.

Seto smiled slightly and Joey could see that he was mentally drifting off into memories as he began to speak.

„Their names were Riku and Yui Kojima. So before we were adopted, my name was Seto Kojima. My mum was a high school maths teacher and my dad had a PhD in physics.“

„Oh, so that’s where you got your intelligence from.“ Oops, had he just said that out loud? Judging by Seto’s grin, that was the case, which made Joey blush a little.

„Maybe, but that wasn’t always a positive thing though. Sometimes they were total thick heads. From their work, they weren’t used to thinking any other way than logically.“

„Yeah, I can see more parallels there,“ Joey interjected with a grin, but this time with full intent, and Seto returned it.

„Although my mum was a bit more socially oriented as a teacher. She was incredibly caring, sometimes overprotective, but I guess that’s just what a kid would usually say about their mother, right? At least that’s what I always assumed, even though I don’t have anything to compare it to. She was the emotional part of my parents, while my dad was even more rational. That means if you wanted some sweets, it was best to go to Mum.“ 

Joey gave Seto an affectionate smile. He felt the side of him that wanted to despise Seto slowly being pushed back to the starting line. It all looked like it was going to lose the fight, but it wasn’t over yet, the voice in Joey’s head warning him not to believe everything he heard was still there.

Still - Joey couldn’t help himself and moved closer to Seto. „It sounds like they were two wonderful people and that they treated you very well.“

Seto nodded. „They did, and they were. Until they suddenly disappeared.“ He noted that Seto was trying to hide it, but there was no mistaking the sadness in his voice and eyes, at least not to Joey. The blond slid a little closer so that now their legs were touching too. He didn’t want to say out loud the question that was on the tip of his tongue for fear he would go too far with it, but Seto seemed to understand him without words, as he often did.

„They were killed in a car accident. A pretty classic case, actually. A drunk hit them in the side and they went off the road, overturned a few times and didn’t stand a chance. All three of them didn’t.“

Seto didn’t seem to realise what he had just said at first. It was only when he saw Joey’s gaze looking at him, not only worried but with question marks in his eyes, that he probably realised he hadn’t explained one important thing there.

„My mum was heavily pregnant. If I remember correctly, it wasn’t long until the due date, a few weeks at the most. It was supposed to be a girl, but she didn’t make it either.“ Joey strengthened the handshake before asking, „What was her name?“

Seto looked up in surprise. „Does that matter?“

In response, the blond nodded vigorously. „Of course, it does. She was your sister, wasn’t she? Just because she wasn’t born yet doesn’t mean she didn’t exist.“ Seto seemed speechless at first. Then, he lifted a hand to Joey’s cheek and stroked it gently, and there was so much affection in the touch that Joey soaked it all up. Part of him wanted to slap away Seto’s hand, to distance himself, to protect himself, but just as Seto was stripping himself naked, metaphorically speaking, so too were Joey’s walls falling down in slow steps.

„Sakura. Her name was Sakura.“ Joey closed his eyes and allowed himself to enjoy the feeling of his warm hand on his cheek, at least for a brief moment. Then, he pressed his own hand against it, opened his eyes again and said, smiling gently, „Beautiful.“ And Joey couldn’t tell if he was referring exclusively to the name or to Seto as well.

Suddenly, Seto pulled him into a hug, wrapping his arms tightly around him so that Joey was now half sitting on his lap, his head against Seto’s chest, whose heart he could hear beating fiercely behind it. His own would definitely be able to keep up.

Without breaking away from each other, Joey asked, „And why are your parents buried here in this very graveyard?“

Seto loosened the embrace a little and gently stroked a strand of hair behind Joey’s ear. „Because we lived close by. I grew up here until they died and we went to an orphanage further away from home.“

„And why was it so important that we come here today?“

„Because it’s the anniversary of their death, to the day. I come here every year. But always alone. No one, not even Mokuba, knew that I do this every year, apart from the graveyard caretaker. But today, that has changed. Like so many things since you came into my life.“

Seto rested his forehead against Joey’s and they just sat together in silence for a few minutes, hanging on to their thoughts. Joey couldn’t believe what Seto had just shared with him. It was again something he had never confided in anyone else before, and Joey felt special and precious, not for the first time. And Joey felt the pitiful remnant of the voice in his head, screaming at him that he couldn’t trust Seto, fade away. The brunet had laid his whole world at his feet with all he had told him today. And if Seto was going to hurt him again and again, then Joey had to take the risk. Maybe it was in fact this bittersweet coexistence of pain and love that made their relationship so intense. Whatever it was - there was no turning back. He needed him like he needed nothing else.

Seto broke away from him and said, „I have something else to show you. It’s even a gift if you want it.“ Joey’s curiosity was immediately triggered again and he was eager to see what Seto had in mind. He pulled out his phone and headphones, one of which they each put in their ears.

„What you’re about to see is a video I recently had digitised.“ And as Seto started the video, Joey’s eyes already got moist - it showed little Seto bouncing blissfully around the house.

„Mummy, mummy, look, I can do a handstand!“

„Watch out, sweetie, don’t hurt yourself.“

„When I grow up, I’ll be the world champion in handstands!“

„Seto, when you grow up, you can become anything you want.“

Little Seto ran up to his mama beaming with joy and hugging her tightly, and in the last scene of the video, he proclaimed, „Then I wanna be as great as you, mama.“

Seto turned off the video and removed the headphones from their ears again. Joey had not yet recovered his voice but felt the hot tears welling up inside him, and a short time later, they made their way to freedom. The brunet gently stroked his cheek to dry them, but it was useless because the old tears were immediately replaced by new ones.

„That was a few weeks before they died. They made a lot of videos like this, but this one particularly stuck in my mind, so when I started digitising the videos, I began with this one. I just don’t know if I’ve achieved what I wanted to become. My mum was a wonderful woman, and I just feel like I can never be as good and pure a person as she was.“

Joey felt he wanted to say more, but prevented him from doing so because he fell around his neck, swinging and sobbing.

„Thank you, Seto. For showing me all this today. You can’t imagine how much it means to me. I...“

Seto lifted Joey’s head. „I love you, Joey, I really do. I don’t want to keep secrets from you anymore, want you to know everything about me. And I want you to be the only one who knows all my sides. Because you’re the only one I wanna show them to.“ He faltered for a moment, then added, „Hurting you like that was the biggest mistake of my life. I will never be able to apologise enough to you for it, but I will try, every day. I’m so sorry that I didn’t tell you about the plan much sooner, but I’m even more sorry that I was such an ass to set up this plan in the first place. It was beyond stupid, I know that now, but I’ve changed and I know who I am now and who I wanna be for you. I can’t lose you again, Joey, and I don’t want to. You are everything to me, and so much more. I’ll tell you as many times as you wanna hear it: I love you more than words could describe. Please, come back to me, my puppy.“

Joey looked deep into his eyes and had to wrestle with his composure. Everything in him just wanted to throw himself into his arms and let him catch him, over and over again. But he hesitated, lost in thought for a moment, and Seto looked at him fearfully.

Oh, fuck it. If he was going to fall, so be it - but he just couldn’t take it anymore. The last two weeks had shown him that life without Seto had absolutely no meaning, and today, the brunet had given him more than he could ever have wished for. He couldn’t imagine that he would make himself so vulnerable if he still only had his own, economic interests in mind. The video from just now was the final proof that this was real. And when he looked him in the eye like that, he was overcome with this certainty that he really did know him. All he could do was hope he wouldn’t hurt him like that again.

So Joey let go and just let the words flow. „You hurt me, Seto, a lot. So much that I didn’t know if I had been imagining it all. Whether the side you’ve revealed of yourself over the past few months is really real. But today, I see it clearly. I see you. The person you really are. Seto, I didn’t know your parents, but I’m more than sure they would be very proud of you.“

The blond took another deep breath, then declared, „Of course I’ll come back to you. I couldn’t help it either. You’ll have to give me time to rebuild trust, and maybe we’ll have to fight a lot more stupid problems like this. But I don’t wanna live without you. The last two weeks have been the worst in my entire life. I can’t do that again.“

Joey took Seto’s face in both hands, looked intensely into his eyes and said, „I love you, Seto. More than you can imagine.“ And then, they kissed, uniting their lips into one that had been apart for far too long. Joey could feel their love all over his body, everything tingling and he lost all sense of space and time. He moaned lightly into their kiss as he felt Seto’s hands on his back, intensifying their union even more. It was a very tender kiss that meant the world to Joey because he now knew with complete certainty: he belonged to Seto, fully, with everything he had. And he would never get away from him ever again, even if he really wanted to.

For a brief moment, they parted. Now it was Seto who took Joey’s face in both hands, and the blond could see a lone tear running down the taller man’s cheek. „God, I’m so happy, Joey. So infinitely happy.“ Smiling softly, Joey wiped the tear away and said, „Me too, my dragon.“ He pulled him into another kiss, hugging his neck and pulling him even closer to feel him as close to him as possible.

When they finally broke away from each other again and looked at each other with transfigured eyes, he knew that it would never be easy and that there were still many challenges waiting for them. But whatever came, he would always love him - because he couldn’t help it.

„We should head back in a bit, but before we leave, there’s something I’d like to do.“ Seto rose and took something out of his backpack, which Joey immediately identified as the very folder that had started this whole drama in the first place. Joey also stood up now and watched his dragon’s every move. He took out a small bowl next to the folder, as well as a lighter. He placed the bowl on the stone pavement and with a lot of energy tore the first page out of the folder, the one that contained his original plan. He crumpled up the piece of paper, and without even batting an eyelid, he lit it in the small, obviously heat-resistant bowl, until only a few seconds later, only a small pile of ash reminded him of what had once been written on that piece of paper.

Seto wanted to continue with the next page, but Joey stopped him. „Wait! These are all pages with photos now, aren’t they? Maybe we can make something out of them. We don’t necessarily have to burn them.“

Indecisively, Seto looked at the blond. „Are you sure, Joey?“ Joey nodded. „Absolutely. Let’s make a memory album out of it.“

Seto pulled Joey close to him. „Can you even begin to imagine how much I love you?“ Again, they kissed tenderly, and the smiles of both of them could still be felt in their kiss.

When they let go of each other again, Seto added, „But let’s at least throw away the folder, okay? I saw bins on the way out, we’ll just throw it in there and take the pages out first.“

Grinning, Joey put his hands on his hips. „What, are you getting superstitious now?“

Amused, the brunet laughed. „Maybe, but I don’t want that thing in the house anymore.“ They stowed all the things properly back in the backpack and headed towards the exit, where they then also disposed of the folder.

And as they walked hand in hand back to the car, that was when Joey was glad he had made the decision to come here today. It hadn’t been easy, and with Seto Kaiba at his side, it probably wouldn’t be in the future either. But there was one thing he could always count on: Life with Seto Kaiba would never become monotonous. And who would want to live a boring life anyway?


	22. Rescue me... from the raging storm inside us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> Walking The Wire - Imagine Dragons
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/6jmngk8Fwup05JZ6kgXEGX?si=3PXIOjN7S9W7hTulqHTN5Q  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdpWFhqQNNs
> 
> Do you feel the same when I'm away from you?  
> Do you know the line that I'd walk for you?  
> We could turn around, or we could give it up  
> But we'll take what comes, take what comes
> 
> There's nights we had to just walk away  
> And there's tears we'll cry, but those tears will fade  
> It's the price we pay when it comes to love  
> And we'll take what comes, take what comes  
> Feel the wind in your hair, feel the rush way up here
> 
> We're walking the wire, love  
> We're walking the wire, love  
> We're gonna be higher, up  
> We're walking the wire, wire, wire
> 
> And for the last scene (you'll know which I mean :D):
> 
> bad guy - Billie Eilish
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/2Fxmhks0bxGSBdJ92vM42m?si=7qvR7k3fTWyDDA0BeC7KcQ  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyDfgMOUjCI
> 
> Bruises on both my knees for you  
> Don't say thank you or please  
> I do what I want when I'm wanting to  
> My soul? So cynical
> 
> I like it when you take control  
> Even if you know that you don't  
> Own me, I'll let you play the role  
> I'll be your animal
> 
> So you're a tough guy  
> Like it really rough guy  
> Just can't get enough guy  
> Chest always so puffed guy  
> I'm that bad type  
> Make your mama sad type  
> Make your girlfriend mad tight  
> Might seduce your dad type  
> I'm the bad guy  
> Duh
> 
> ~~~~

Seto looked after Joey as he went back into the Mutos‘ house to pack his things. The brunet leaned against his car and heaved a sigh. Just a few hours ago, he would have never thought Joey would come back to him, certainly not so soon. For a moment, he remembered the conversation in the car that Joey had initiated.

~~~~

„Hey, Seto?“ Joey was a little nervous to ask the question that was on his mind the most right now.

„Huh?“

„So... where are we actually going?“

„That... is an excellent question, my puppy.“ Joey only saw Seto’s profile as he continued to drive the car consistently, but it didn’t escape him that the brunet probably hadn’t thought about it at all.

„So... I was thinking... I don’t know, maybe...“ Joey began stuttering.

„Spit it out, Joey. What did you think?“ There was no mistaking the impatience in Seto’s words.

„Well, maybe I could... come back with you? If you want to, of course. I also don’t wanna be a burden to Yugi longer than necessary. Otherwise, I’d have to look for a place to live. Then, I’d ask at the cafe if I could work more hours, and I’d also have to see where I could afford an apartment in the first place. I’m sure I’d have to spend more money on public transport, and I can’t afford a place in the city centre for sure. But I have a bit of money saved up, so...“

„Joey!“

„Uh... what is it?“

„Will you shut up already?“

„...“

Seto parked the car on the side of the road for a moment, then unbuckled his seatbelt with quick hand motions and pulled Joey demandingly into a heated kiss. The blond was completely taken by surprise by Seto’s desire and couldn’t react at first, but only a second later, he returned the kiss with the same intensity. A little more clumsily than Seto, but still successfully, he too undid his belt and leaned further towards him. Seto’s hand touched Joey’s cheek and got his blood pumping, the speed of his heartbeat doubling, at least. Lightly, he bit Seto’s lower lip, making him sigh. Joey couldn’t help himself, propping one leg up on his seat to slide even closer to Seto. One hand slipped under his shirt and Joey became addicted to the warm skin hiding behind it. He released the kiss to caress his dragon’s neck, which made the brunet moan excitedly again and again. Only when he took Joey’s face firmly in both hands and turned him towards him was their lovemaking interrupted. Joey could see in Seto’s eyes that he didn’t actually want it to end, but they were standing here on a public road, albeit a country road where they wouldn’t be paid too much attention, but they didn’t have to provoke it unnecessarily. With a transfigured look and a low voice, he heard Seto speak.

„How many times do I have to tell you that I want you with me? Of course, I want you to come back. Idiot.“ The last word was no more than a soft whisper, and he pulled Joey into another kiss, though more tender than before, giving him pleasant goosebumps all over his body. With that, it was decided - he would move back in with Seto. He couldn’t wait.

~~~~

„Hello, Earth to Kaiba?“ It was only when Seto saw Yugi waving his hands wildly in front of him that he arrived back in the here and now. It took him a moment to regain his composure and shake off the heat that these memories had triggered in him. Immediately, he straightened up and put on his hard face, as usual, when he wasn’t talking to Joey or Mokuba. Still leaning against the car, he folded his arms in front of his chest and looked at Yugi with a raised eyebrow. 

The colourful-haired man seemed to want something, the only question was what. He had both hands on his hips and a serious expression on his face. For a few moments, probably even minutes, they faced each other like this, and for Seto, it almost felt like he was facing Yugi in a duel. Neither of them would give up voluntarily, even though he had absolutely no idea what kind of fight they were actually fighting here.

At some point, Yugi sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. Ha, seemed like Seto had won. Then, Yugi lifted his eyes again and fixed Seto with a piercing gaze, which Seto returned - never would he cave in to anyone or anything. Well, his puppy might have an option or two, but certainly not the moron now standing right in front of him.

„You hurt Joey a lot, Kaiba.“

Again, the brunet raised an eyebrow. What was he supposed to reply to that? As if he wasn’t aware of it himself. He certainly didn’t need anyone to rebuke him for it now. He had already reproached himself enough in the past two weeks.

„And you think I don’t know that?“ replied Seto with a contemptuous undertone.

Yugi shook his head. „I didn’t say that. I’m just trying to warn you.“

„Warn me?“ Amused, the corners of his mouth pulled up slightly and one of his cocky smiles now graced his face.

Yugi nodded. „Yes. If you dare hurt him again, you’ll have me to deal with. Personally.“

Okay, now Seto really had to control himself. He needed all the self-control he could spare not to burst out laughing. He pushed himself off the car and headed towards the house to see what the hell Joey was doing in there for so long. And to escape from this conversation, which was really more than ridiculous.

„I’m shaking already, Muto,“ Seto declared as he walked past Yugi. But then, the shorter one stopped him by holding Seto by the sleeve and looked into his eyes for a moment, staring at him insistently.

„I’m serious, Kaiba. I’ve never seen Joey the way I’ve seen him the last few weeks. You’re a dead man if you do anything like that to him again.“

Seto’s gaze remained hard as steel, but as he averted his eyes and released his arm from Yugi’s reins, he replied, „You’re right, I am a dead man if anything like that happens again. Not because you or your stupid friends make me, though. But I will do everything I can to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Anything. It won’t happen again.“ He turned his head ever so slightly to see Yugi’s reaction, and when their eyes met again, they nodded weakly to each other. Then, Seto made his way into the house.

As he entered, he heard noises coming from a room and walked straight towards it. Sure enough, he found Joey there, zipping up his bag. When he noticed Seto, he lifted his head in surprise. „Seto? You okay?“

Seto took a step into the room and closed the door behind him for a moment so they could talk undisturbed. The corners of his mouth pulled up in amusement as he thought of his conversation with Yugi.

„Yugi threatened me that if I hurt you again, I’d be a dead man.“

Astonishment could be read from Joey’s face, which soon turned into a jovial laugh. „Well, that’s all Yugi.“ Joey seemed to stare dreamily in the air for a moment, then regained his composure and looked back at Seto, still a big grin on his face. „But if we’re being honest, he wouldn’t stand a chance against you anyway.“

Seto had to suck in a sharp breath. So that was how he saw it, despite the fact that Yugi was his best friend? He pulled Joey, who was standing not far away from him, towards him, spun them both around and pushed him against the closed door. Before the blond could even say a word, Seto pressed his lips to Joey’s and captured him completely. Immediately, Joey opened his lips so Seto could penetrate with his tongue. He tasted so good and Seto knew he would never get enough of him. When he broke away from him momentarily, he could see how befuddled Joey’s gaze was. He had a little saliva running down his chin from the corner of his mouth, and Seto removed it with his thumb, which he then slid over the blond’s lips, still wet. Joey closed his eyes and gave a suppressed moan - he was obviously still all too aware of where they were. His mouth was still slightly open, and Seto let his thumb slide in, followed by his index finger. This sight of Joey sucking greedily on his fingers was divine and he couldn’t take his eyes off it for a few breaths. Then, he withdrew his fingers again and went with the same hand directly under Joey’s T-shirt, up to his nipples, which he teased with pleasure. Seto’s mouth, meanwhile, was busy spreading hot kisses on Joey’s neck, up to his ear, which he nibbled eagerly. He put his other hand on Joey’s ass and pulled him even closer - and he could also clearly feel Joey’s arousal through the fabric of their pants.

„Seto... we... can’t... do that... here...“ Joey said in a choppy voice. He looked back into his puppy’s eyes, which were a stream of various shades of gold and brown, and could see it quite clearly too. Joey would not be able to control himself, and Seto would not want him to either, and that was simply difficult here.

Still - he pressed one last kiss to his lips, which Joey returned with a sigh before they parted.

The room was silent for a moment, only their quickened breathing could be heard. But then...

„The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round...“ Joey began to sing, and Seto had to stifle himself from snorting a laugh. „What are you doing?“ he asked, still unable to suppress a soft laugh.

Joey shrugged his shoulders. „Taking my mind off things. We can’t really get outta here like this, can we?“ The blond put on a wry grin, and Seto couldn’t help but return it.

~~~~

Now, they were back at the Kaiba mansion, and for Joey, it felt like coming home. It just felt wonderful, so wonderful that Joey was fighting tears as they walked through the front door. He hadn’t been gone that long, and yet it felt like an eternity. He really hoped he would never have to do it again because he knew this was his place, this was where he was meant to be.

Joey was about to make his way to the first floor when he heard Seto clear his throat behind him. He turned and asked him, „You all right, Seto?“ The serious look on his face kind of scared Joey. Had he missed something while he had been gone?

„You can go to your apartment, of course, it’s at your disposal as always. I haven’t had anything changed either, although it’s been cleaned, certainly.“

Joey turned fully to the brunet now and furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. „But?“

Smiling softly, Seto took a step towards him, though still at some distance. „No ‚but‘, my puppy, more like ‚either‘ ‚or‘. Either, you go back to your own apartment. Or, you’re coming with me to mine.“

„To... to... to yours?“ Seto had him completely flustered. Was that a proposal to... to move in together? Joey’s jaw dropped as he realised what Seto had just offered him.

Still completely confused, Joey replied, „What...? So, let me get this straight. I would then... live with you... so... both of us together... in your apartment?“

Seto’s gaze softened and he nodded, still smiling gently. But before he could take Seto up on his offer, he was hugged tumultuously from behind, making him struggle not to fall forward.

„Joey! You’re back! I’m so happy to see you!“ The little whirlwind behind him was clearly Mokuba, who had not failed to notice that Seto had not returned home empty-handed. Joey laughed and turned to the shorter teen, letting him pull him into a hug. 

„I’m glad to see you too, Mokuba. And from what I heard, you’re not entirely innocent of the fact that I’m back here either.“ Mokuba grinned wryly at him. „What, me? I don’t know anything about that.“ He winked at Joey and released the hug. „I’ll give you a little time to settle back in. Dinner will be ready soon, see you there?“ Joey nodded at him affirmatively and Mokuba moved away.

Joey turned back to Seto a little. He knew he hadn’t given him an answer yet, but his choice wasn’t even remotely difficult. Smiling, his bag slung over his shoulder, he took the stairs to the first floor and then continued to the left - where Seto’s apartment was. The brunet had followed him at a proper distance but stopped in the middle of the stairs when he saw where Joey was going. Grinning, the blond turned around. „Ya coming, Seto?“ Joey heard him exhale sharply, then, in quick strides, he climbed the last steps and stood beside him.

„Are you sure, Joey?“ he asked, and the blond really had to wonder why Seto was suddenly so unsure. After all, he had suggested it himself. Smirking, he replied, „You want me to change my mind?“ Energetically, Seto shook his head and Joey had to laugh out loud. „Go ahead then - because I’m not planning to, either. I really think it’s an extremely good idea.“ Seto exhaled abruptly again, then picked up his key card and opened the door to his apartment for them - which, as of today, was also Joey’s. His whole body tingled at that thought.

Inside, Joey put the bag down on the sofa. „Here,“ Seto said behind him, handing him his own key card. He had left this one in his own apartment when he had left. He turned it around in his hands a few times and then held it very tightly, like a precious treasure. He stashed it in his wallet and was sure he would never give it away again.

When he had stowed away his things - he had actually found some space in Seto’s dressing room, which amazed him to a considerable extent - they went to dinner together. It was the first time in weeks that Joey had eaten a normal meal, and he couldn’t help but think that the same was true for Seto. He now felt how starved and powerless he was and greedily gobbled down whatever was put in front of him.

This obviously amused Mokuba immensely. „Joey, if you keep doing that, you’re bound to have a stomachache later.“

„What? Me? Never,“ Joey mumbled indistinctly while not being able to hide the fact that his mouth couldn’t be more filled up.

Seto joined in the laughter too, and Joey felt so liberated to finally hear him laugh again. Never again would he want to miss it.

As they finished eating, Mokuba looked curiously back and forth between the two of them. „So,“ he began, „Seto made a pretty big secret about what he was going to do with you. All I know is that it was something he’s never done with me before.“ Noticing Seto’s guilty look, he added, „Don’t worry, I suggested it myself. Seems to have worked out wonderfully, too.“ Grinning for a moment, he then asked, „You wanna tell me what you did?“

Joey looked at Seto. It wasn’t up to him to decide if they would tell. He knew it was a very intimate subject and he would leave it up to Seto to decide how much or little he was willing to divulge. Seto also seemed to think about it for a moment, but then, he smiled and nodded to Joey.

Then, Seto began to explain. „I took Joey to our parents‘ grave. Told him about them, and about our childhood before Gozaburo. When we were still Mokuba and Seto Kojima. I know you don’t remember our parents very well, Mokuba, that’s why I haven’t been there with you yet, but if you like, I’ll take you next time. I always go on the anniversary of their death, every year, that’s why it was so important to do it today. But I would have gone with him on any other day too.“

Mokuba couldn’t hide his astonishment, but then, he smiled again. „Yes, I’ll be happy to come next time. I... I think I’d like to know more about them, even if I can’t remember.“

Seto nodded at him with a smile. „We’ll do that then. I’ve also started digitising the videos they made of us. We can watch those together when they are all done, how does that sound to you?“

Mokuba looked at his big brother with tears in his eyes and could not hide his anticipation. „Yes, Seto, I’d love that!“

Smiling softly, he now turned back to Joey. „You know everything about me now. Who I was, who I am. And it is you who will make the man out of me who I will be in the future.“ Joey’s eyes moistened and goosebumps spread everywhere. 

Joey shook his head as a lone tear slowly made its way down his cheek. „I’m sure I don’t know even half of you. And that’s okay. I have a lifetime to find out the rest.“ He felt Seto take his hand under the table and squeeze it gently, and his smile intensified a little more.

Their bubble, which had already built up around them again, was abruptly shattered when Mokuba began to speak again. „I am really glad that you are together again. And that you are yourselves again. You should have seen Seto the last two weeks, Joey. I’ve never seen him like this.“

Joey now took Seto’s hand with both of his and gently stroked it before replying, „I felt the same way. But I have a feeling that nothing can come between us now.“

Mokuba grinned from ear to ear. „I certainly hope so! Well, I’m off now, I’ve got maths homework to do. I’m so not in the mood.“

Joey had to laugh - he could relate to that. He couldn’t remember the last time he had done maths homework at all. He usually copied them from Yugi, the guy was a fucking genius in pretty much every subject at school. Hmm, maybe he could persuade Seto to let him copy from him? After all, he was the smartest person he knew.

When Mokuba had disappeared, the two of them sat in the dining room for a while, just enjoying being together. Then, something occurred to Joey. „Hey, Seto, tomorrow is the school festival with the big bonfire. I had arranged with the others to go. Why don’t you join us?“

Joey could sense that Seto disliked the idea of hanging out with his friends, so he put on the best puppy dog look he could. Seto seemed to notice and smiled, then he patted Joey on the head - just like a real puppy - and agreed. „All right, I’ll come with you. But please promise me that you won’t try to forcefully integrate me into the ‚geek squad‘.“

Joey grinned broadly at his victory. „Okay, I’ll try my best, but I can’t speak for Yugi.“ Seto sighed in annoyance and Joey burst out laughing.

„Shall we go to bed?“ asked Joey and Seto nodded. So they made their way back - to their shared apartment. Would he ever stop feeling that tingle when he thought about that?

They laid awake for a little while longer, both lying on their sides, their eyes fixed on the other. The room was only dimly lit by the bedside lamp. Joey reached out his hand to his dragon, who immediately took it and covered the back of his hand with kisses. No one said anything, they just enjoyed each other’s closeness. Seto pulled him even closer and hugged him. Joey closed his eyes for a moment and breathed deeply, taking in all of Seto’s scent. Feeling him here again so close to him was the most wonderful feeling in the whole world. His skin was warm and soft and he could feel his breath on the back of his neck. Gently, Seto stroked his back and every place he touched tingled.

Finally, they disengaged again and Joey swung himself up so that he was now kneeling over Seto, propped up on his hands. He gently stroked the brunet’s hair, who smiled soulfully at him. „You are so beautiful, Seto.“

The addressed man now raised a hand himself and tenderly stroked Joey’s cheek. Then, his expression became a little more serious and it looked as if he wanted to say something but was still sorting out the words in his head before he could say them. Joey gave him the time he needed and then heard him say, „Joey, my puppy, I.... I’m so sorry. What I’ve done to you is actually unforgivable, and yet here you are. You can’t imagine how much this means to me. How much you mean to me. But I promise you, from this day forward, no more secrets. Nothing shall come between us. I won’t risk losing you again. I won’t make a mistake like that a second time. That’s a promise.“

Joey could only nod because he knew that if he said anything now, he would burst into tears violently, and he just didn’t want that now. So he just lowered his head and kissed Seto, packing all the love he felt for him into that kiss. His arms were braced to the left and right of Seto, their bodies were very close, and slowly, Joey could feel the heat rising inside him that he had already felt the last few times they had kissed. Gently, he parted Seto’s lips with his tongue and nudged the brunet’s. He could still taste the minty flavour of his toothpaste and heard him sigh in pleasure. Seto pulled him even closer by his T-shirt. With his other hand, he went under the shirt and stroked his back in gentle movements. Their kiss became more demanding, more impatient, more greedy. Joey now sat down on Seto’s lap and could clearly feel his arousal, which made him even hotter himself. He pushed the brunet’s T-shirt up a little so that his belly was exposed. Joey released their kiss and began spreading kisses down Seto’s neck to just above his belly button, where he stopped. Carefully, he stroked Seto’s belly with his tongue, eliciting a moan from him.

Suddenly, he felt Seto’s hands in his hair. „Joey?“ Immediately, the blond stopped what he was doing and looked up at Seto. He sat up again and looked at him questioningly.

Seto stroked his cheek tenderly as he said, „Let’s call it a day here, okay?“ He smiled gently at him, but still, Joey was confused. „Um, okay... ha-have I done something wrong?“ Embarrassed blushes spread across his cheeks, but Seto just laughed weakly. „No, quite the opposite. But we just reconciled today, and I don’t want you to think I did this just to make out with you.“

Astonished, Joey looked at him. „But I don’t think that at all. I really don’t.“ Seto’s smile intensified a little more. „Good, because it’s not like that. Although, of course, it’s a nice perk of being together with you.“ Again, the blond blushed slightly. What was the matter with him today? He wasn’t usually so shy!

„Besides,“ he heard Seto speak again as he couldn’t stifle a yawn, „I’m really damn tired. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t slept a wink the last two weeks without you in this freaking bed. But I guess now that my puppy is finally back where it belongs, I’ll be able to get some sleep after all.“ Even as he said this, his eyes fell closed and Joey could now feel the exhaustion of the last two weeks in his limbs too. Actually, he didn’t want to stop, but he knew Seto was right. And there would be more than enough opportunities to make up for the time they had lost, he was sure of that.

So he laid down next to Seto and rested his head on his chest. He could already feel him breathing regularly, obviously, he had fallen asleep incredibly quickly. And Joey also noticed how he slowly disappeared into dreamland, and he already knew who he would meet there.

In the afternoon of the next day, they made their way to the school festival. It was traditionally held at this time of year, as a transition from spring to summer, and always took place on the Sunday of Golden Week. Joey was nervous because he didn’t know how his friends would react after his reconciliation with Seto. He had told them all what had happened between them, he couldn’t help it because he hadn’t been able to hide his disappointment and pain. Now, he could only hope that Seto’s presence would not affect the mood negatively. Perhaps they also thought him naïve or stupid that he had returned to Seto so quickly? He himself knew it had been the absolute right decision, but would his friends trust his judgement, or possibly disrespect him for it?

As they walked through the school gate, they saw Yugi waving from afar, with Téa and Tristan standing beside him. Joey was relieved for a moment to see them all smiling. Seto walked a few steps behind Joey as he joined his friends in good spirits.

„Hey, guys!“ he called out to them with a grin. He could see that Yugi was still smiling, but no sooner had Seto caught up with them than the atmosphere changed. Great, just what Joey hadn’t hoped for. A glance behind told him that Seto’s expression was sombre and strained. Joey sighed. He was definitely not going to get through the day in this mood.

„Okay, guys, you’re not saying anything, but it’s not that hard to guess whatcha thinking. Yugi saw the whole thing first hand, but here again for you, Seto and I are back together.“

Tristan looked at him with a raised eyebrow and disapproving look. „And why is that?“ He crossed his arms in front of his chest and it was no great feat to see how much incomprehension was in Tristan’s eyes.

Joey let out another sigh before replying, „Let’s just say it was a pretty stupid misunderstanding.“

„No.“ Seto suddenly stood beside him, he too had his arms crossed, his gaze still serious and impenetrable on the group. Joey looked at him in confusion, as did all the other pairs of eyes.

„That wasn’t just a simple misunderstanding. Maybe that’s part of the truth, but an equally big part of it is that I made a mistake I shouldn’t have. But it won’t happen again. I don’t make the same mistakes twice, and certainly not this one.“

„What...“ Joey was speechless, as were his friends. No one had expected Seto Kaiba to ever stand up for anything, especially not in front of the people he always so kindly referred to as the ‚nerd herd‘. Damn, he had really developed radically, if he could pull off something like that now without any problems. Nevertheless, Joey was still completely perplexed. „Seto, why...?“ he asked the question, albeit incomplete, that was probably on the tip of everyone’s tongue right now.

He looked at Joey, his gaze unchanged. „Joey, with all due respect to your attempt trying to explain this, but I don’t want you to pretend that I haven’t made a mistake here. I’m perfectly willing to take responsibility for my actions. And keeping half of it quiet doesn’t undo it, after all.“ Seto’s guilt was unmistakable in his eyes, not only to Joey, but to the rest of the group, and they all stared at him with open mouths. Probably none of them would have expected this when they had turned up here today.

„So, if any of you losers blurts out what I just told you, you can kiss your lives goodbye.“

„Seto!“ But then, the group burst out laughing and the mood relaxed a little again. And Joey was really glad of it, even if he was still taken aback by the openness Seto had just displayed.

The group spent the afternoon and early evening with various activities offered at the school festival. Most of the school clubs had a stand where they showed what they had been up to so far this school year. They watched the performance of the music and drama clubs, among others, and while the friends consisting of Joey, Tristan, Téa and Yugi really enjoyed themselves, Seto seemed disinterested in pretty much everything. The only thing that could actually attract his attention all the time was Joey, because wherever he went, his gaze followed. It was a bit creepy, but still - Joey felt what he always felt when he did that: he felt special and precious, and somehow protected. As if nothing bad could happen as long as Seto just looked at him. That was absurd, of course, Joey knew that, but it made him happy, and that was all that mattered to him at the moment.

As the wood for the big bonfire was piled up, more and more students and teachers gathered around it. The group joined them as the final touches were made. The sun had almost set by now, only a few last rays could be glimpsed on the horizon as the wood was lit and the first sparks lit up the schoolyard. The bigger the fire got, the more ‚Oh’s‘ and ‚Ah’s‘ could be heard from the spectators, and Joey too was so fascinated that he could hardly take his eyes off it.

„Woah, look how high the flames are getting!“ shouted Téa to the group. Joey had to smile - that was nothing compared to the fire Seto set off in him just by looking at him. His grin grew even wider and he really tried not to let his thoughts show, but Seto knew him all too well. They were standing a little away from the fire, and since the sun had now set completely, they were only discreetly lit. So Seto took a chance and leaned down a little to whisper in his ear, „Well, puppy, what dirty thoughts are floating around in your head?“ He turned his face to Seto and grinned provokingly at him. He could see that the fire had already begun to blaze in his eyes, and Joey felt it too, throughout his entire body.

With a movement of his eyes - for that was all it took for Joey to understand - Seto suggested they enjoy the fire alone from some distance, just the two of them. Joey nodded slightly, then turned to his friends. „Hey, guys, we’ll be having a look around and be back soon.“

That was when he saw Tristan grinning belligerently again. „Looking around, huh?“

Joey growled, already well on his way to beating him up. He just got far too easily provoked by Tristan’s words. But his friend just laughed out loud. „It’s all right, Joey, don’t get mad. Do what you want.“ And while Joey, head held high, slowly escaped with Seto, he could hear the group laughing behind him, and he too could no longer suppress a quiet laugh.

They stood against a wall of one of the school buildings, from where they could still see the fire well, but no one would pay them any more attention. Without talking, they watched the spectacle for a while, but Joey was overcome by a sudden need to break the silence and talk. So he said, „Y‘know, Seto, you really surprised me earlier. I didn’t expect ya to stand up in front of our friends and admit ya made a mistake.“

„Well, Joey,“ he could hear Seto answer instantly, „for one thing, it’s no big deal. I run a company, and while I’ve never really made mistakes, I’m grown up enough by now to take responsibility for them. Although, in fact, I can’t remember any other...“ For a moment, he seemed to drift off into his thoughts, and Joey smirked to himself. Sure, the great Seto Kaiba just didn’t make mistakes. Arrogant prick. Shaking his head, another laugh slipped from his lips as Seto resumed. „And secondly: What the hell do you mean by ‚our friends‘? I’m certainly not a member of your silly group of monkeys.“

Joey immediately burst out laughing. „Group of monkeys? Okay, that’s new, even I think that’s funny. Wait ’til I tell the others, they’ll laugh their heads off!“ Joey wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes and became a little more serious again. „Anyway, all I wanted to say was thank you. I liked what you said. Made me a little proud of ya too, in a way. I have a feeling you wouldn’t have reacted like that a year ago.“

Joey’s gaze was still set forward, on the fire that still burned brightly in front of them. He felt Seto move closer and their upper arms were about to touch. Immediately, Joey felt the usual longing welling up inside him. He noticed their hands touching lightly every now and then, if only for a split second. Joey wasn’t sure how far he was allowed to go, and as he still pondered, Seto reached for his hand. Joey had to inhale sharply. Another thing he would never have expected to happen today. And then, Seto even started talking again, too.

„Joey, I’ve been thinking,“ the brunet began. Joey still couldn’t get a word past his lips, he was just so caught off guard by Seto’s openness today. There was nothing he could do but return Seto’s handshake and wait for him to enlighten him about whatever it was he had been racking his brains about.

„I think we should make it public.“

Okay, Joey definitely had to have misheard. Had he just said he wanted them to tell the public about their relationship? He? What...

Still, he couldn’t find the right words to say anything back. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Seto turning a worried gaze on him. „Joey, are you all right? We don’t have to do this, of course, if you think it’s too soon. And my thoughts aren’t entirely altruistic, after all, I have to admit.“

Seto gave a short sigh, then continued talking. „I just thought if we stop playing hide and seek, maybe I would be less likely to lose you again. I don’t really know why I think that way, but I would do anything to not have to go through that again. Because I couldn’t. Besides - no more secrets, right? And then why not reveal the biggest secret of all?“

Joey dared a glance at Seto, who now seemed lost in thought. He looked around - no one was paying attention to them. Could he risk it?

„Of course, we would have to coordinate this closely with my press team, schedule a press conference and so on. It could take a couple of weeks to prepare. But then, we could...“

That was as far as he got because Joey pressed his lips to Seto’s, silencing him. Fuck it, if they really did make it public, it would only be a matter of time before everyone in the school knew anyway, and Joey had looked around carefully, they were totally unobserved.

Seto returned the kiss with a heat that could easily rival the temperature of the bonfire on the schoolyard. Joey was now standing directly in front of him, Seto’s back still to the wall. The brunet wrapped his arms around Joey and pulled him even closer. Apparently, he didn’t care either, or was aware that they had a good spot here. Whatever it was, Joey wasn’t going to hold back, not after the heat had built up inside him so much since yesterday that he wouldn’t be able to control it now.

Seto broke away from him breathlessly. „Is that a yes?“ Joey looked him intensely in the eyes and could see the storm in Seto’s eyes that was incomparable. „That you still have to ask that. Of course, dumbass.“

He pulled him into another sensual kiss. His hands wandered under Seto’s shirt and he could tell it was taking everything Seto had not to moan out loud. It had been far too long for him, too. Joey was hungry for more, but he knew they couldn’t actually do that here, but he was sure he wouldn’t make it home first. So he detached himself from his dragon again and looked around - until an idea struck him.

„Come with me,“ he said, pulling Seto into the school, which they entered through a back entrance. The school hallway was dark, and Joey immediately pressed Seto against the wall, continuing what they had just interrupted.

Greedily, he bit Seto’s lip and then licked the same spot with his tongue. His lips were so warm and soft that he couldn’t break away until he suddenly felt Seto’s tongue against his, wrapping his in a fierce fight. He felt Seto’s hot breath against his mouth, again and again, he moaned softly and probably tried convulsively to control himself.

Joey began to undo the first buttons of Seto’s shirt, from top to bottom. Then, he released the kiss to devote himself to Seto’s neck. Again and again, he sucked softly but was careful not to leave any visible marks. At some point, he had opened all the buttons and his hands stroked uncontrollably and wildly over Seto’s muscular torso. Joey felt Seto’s tongue on his neck and how he gently nibbled on his ear - his absolute weak spot, and he had to be careful as hell not to come already. No, he wanted to put it off as long as he could.

While his fingers wandered under Seto’s waistband, he looked into his bright blue eyes, which were glaring at him impatiently. Seto’s breath was coming in jerks and everything about him was screaming with lust. This elicited an eager grin from Joey and he licked his lips. He would do anything for this man, whatever he asked of him, and he would make sure he gave him maximum satisfaction.

So now, he started kissing his way down, while Seto had to put his head back in his neck to keep from groaning too loudly. With his hands, he clawed greedily into Joey’s hair. By now, the blond was kneeling in front of him, kissing and sucking at Seto’s belly button, and the brunet was pressing hard against him. Agonisingly slowly, he began to open Seto’s belt, and just as he was about to undo the top button of his pants, he was pulled back by his hair, so that he now had to look at Seto from below. He felt a little saliva running from the corners of his mouth and licked his lips again in excitement.

„Joey, someone might see us,“ he heard Seto say choppily. It was so obvious how horny Seto was that Joey didn’t know if he would be able to answer at first because he was so overwhelmed by the sight of him. From this angle, Seto looked even hotter. His abs and pecs tightened because the brunet was trying so hard to control himself, and the first drops of sweat flowed down his damn hot body.

Grinning hungrily, he continued to look at Seto, still kneeling in front of him, and put a hand to the spot where the bulge in Seto’s pants seemed to be getting bigger by the second. As he caressed it in circular motions, he bit his lower lip briefly before replying, „Mmm, I know.“

Seto groaned loudly, then pulled Joey up to him so quickly that he had no chance to react. The brunet lifted him up and pressed him against the wall, and Joey wrapped his legs around his body and his arms around his neck to feel him even closer. Longingly, he pressed himself against him, which Seto acknowledged with a hot kiss.

Only reluctantly did the taller man detach himself from Joey before he said, „Joey, we can’t do that here...“

Joey pulled him even closer with the strength of his legs, causing Seto to exhale abruptly. The blond laughed faintly. „Oh, is that so? Doesn’t look to me like you’re going to last much longer.“ After a brief pause, Joey added, „I’m at my limit, Seto. I want you, here, and I want you to fuck me, hard and fast. Understand?“

Seto’s eyes widened, which made Joey’s grin widen even more. He loved to drive him so crazy with his lewd words that he couldn’t help but surrender completely to the pleasure. Once more, he was pulled into a passionate kiss by Seto, then, he broke away from him again and said, „Hold on to me tight.“

No sooner had he uttered those words than he started walking, and the fact that Joey didn’t know what he was about to do only excited him more. So did the silent thought that they could be caught at any moment.

Outside a door, Joey was dropped off by Seto, and when he saw what kind of room they were standing in front of, his breath caught for a brief moment - it was their classroom. Actually, it was a place he didn’t associate with very many positive experiences, but he knew that was about to change abruptly.

Seto opened the door and manoeuvred Joey through with a demanding grip. The room was also dark as the night and on the opposite side of the fire, so it was virtually impossible that anyone would discover them here. As soon as the door was closed again behind them, Joey pressed Seto against it to finish what he had started in the hallway, and Seto, who usually played the more dominant part, let him. He didn’t seem to mind at all either, even enjoyed a little that Joey had the upper hand right now. They still stood erect facing each other, their bodies pressed close together, and Joey let Seto engage him in an unrestrained kiss. Again and again, they moaned lustfully. Joey was so aroused that saliva was now flowing down his chin in copious amounts while their tongues danced fiercely around each other. Seto took Joey’s face in both hands while Joey’s hands were already back to exploring the brunet’s entire body. And when Joey noticed Seto pushing him down a little, barely perceptibly, it was clear what he wanted.

Joey gave a short laugh. „So greedy, huh?“ He moved very close to Seto’s ear as he slowly stroked his hands along Seto’s thighs. „All right, your wish is my command.“ Inch by inch, Joey kissed his way down Seto’s torso, and as he knelt in front of him again, gently caressing his belly with his tongue, he looked up at him. God, he was so hot, and Joey knew that if Seto touched him in the right places now, he would have the orgasm of his life. Seto’s gaze was stormy, his eyes dark blue and full of desire. He had clawed his hands into Joey’s hair again, and Joey was enjoying the slight pain of that tugging.

Finally, he undid Seto’s belt and the buttons of his pants and he noticed how that was a relief for the brunet too as he sighed with pleasure. With quick movements of his hands, he pulled the taller man’s pants down and off but left the boxers on for a moment to tease him even more. His fingers slid under the shorts while his tongue ran lightly underneath at the top waistband. Then, he grabbed the waistband with his teeth and as he pulled it a little, he looked deep into Seto’s eyes.

„Joey, please...“ pleaded Seto, and Joey disengaged his teeth from the shorts and let them snap back. In an erotically deep voice, he replied, „Yes, Seto?“ He felt the taller one start to shiver with lust, and Joey enjoyed every second of what they were doing.

„If... you don’t... do something soon... I’m gonna fuck you.... right there on the floor.“

An arrogant laugh escaped Joey’s lips before he said, „Well, I guess I’d better get started then, huh?“ He stroked his shorts slightly, where Seto’s arousal was already more than evident. „Joey... aah...“ moaned Seto with impatience. Joey was also having a lot of trouble controlling himself by now, but he wouldn’t just come all over him like a wild animal. No, he would do it slowly so he could savour it properly, both of them, and so they would never be able to enter this room again without thinking back to this for even a second.

Joey’s fingers tightened around the waistband of Seto’s boxers and he heard him draw in a jerky breath. Yes, that was exactly how he wanted him. He let the fabric slide over his bottom first and then, almost as if in slow motion, he released the front as well, now freeing him completely from the shorts. Greedily, Joey licked his lips and felt his body producing vast amounts of saliva again.

First, he stroked Seto’s member gently with one hand, which elicited a loud moan from him and Joey knew he had brought him to the edge of endurance. And now, he would give him the satisfaction he so much deserved after this ordeal.

Gently, he touched the tip with his tongue and began to caress it in circular motions. Seto’s grip on his hair tightened, and when Joey glanced up, he could see the brunet had thrown his head back and narrowed his eyes tightly. So he took a step further and ran his tongue along the entire length, wetting everything with his saliva. „Oh, God, Joey, that’s so good,“ he heard Seto say breathlessly. „Just don’t stop... please...“

Joey could really get used to the feeling of hearing him beg like that, and he knew he’d get his turn later. But for now, he let his dragon come first. He put one hand around Seto’s erection and began to move it slowly up and down. One last time, he licked the tip with his tongue before finally using his entire mouth and taking it all in, first only the top part, and then, gradually, the rest. Seto’s whole body quivered and trembled with excitement, and Joey couldn’t get enough. Hungrily, he sucked and licked, while his free hand kept roaming along Seto’s thigh and upper body.

Seto’s breathing was getting faster and faster, his moans louder and louder. He pressed Joey even tighter against him and Joey felt that it could only be a matter of seconds. He let go of him for a moment, and as his tongue continued to gently lick Seto’s shaft, he looked up at him and whispered hoarsely, „Come for me, Seto.“ He took him in again with his mouth, and as Seto came, he called out Joey’s name loudly, as he usually did with Seto’s.

Joey greedily swallowed it all, but it was so much that a little ran out of his mouth. For a moment, they looked at each other, both breathing heavily, Joey continuing to kneel in front of him. Seto’s gaze was still totally befuddled and Joey fixed him intensely with his eyes while he used his thumb to remove the cum from his face and then licked it off with relish, making Seto whimper again. Then, Joey smirked contentedly and gave Seto time to calm down a bit again. It looked like he needed another minute to come back to reality, and while Joey was at the classroom sink removing the visible traces of what he had just experienced and washing his mouth, all he could think about was how incredible that had just been.

Suddenly, he felt Seto’s still hot fingers crawling under his T-shirt from behind. He let him pull it over his head. Then, Seto’s hands went to his waistband and while he calmly undid the buttons on Joey’s pants, he whispered in his ear, „Now it’s my turn. You’re gonna do exactly what I tell you to do, got it?“ And there he was again, the dominant Seto Kaiba who turned Joey on so much. Stifling a groan, he nodded and put a hand to the back of Seto’s head, pulling him closer, who immediately started spreading heated kisses on Joey’s neck and throat and gently biting his earlobe. He pushed his ass even more in Seto’s direction and felt, even through his pants, how the brunet was already getting hard again. Damn, obviously their relationship break had pushed them both so hard to their personal limits that it hardly took a touch for them to fall all over each other. And Joey knew - that was exactly what Seto was about to do, and he was going to savour every second of it.

„Good boy. Take your clothes off,“ Seto ordered, and Joey complied immediately. Seto now also removed his shirt completely, so that they were now both standing in the room naked. That they would ever fuck in their own classroom was something neither of them would have ever expected, but something about it made Joey even hornier than he already was.

Still standing with his back to him, Joey could now feel his big hands on his ass. Seto put a hand around his erection and started massaging it in slow movements. „Aaah... Seto...“ Joey moaned out loud. This just felt so incredibly good that he couldn’t stop himself from moaning unrestrainedly.

Behind him, he could hear Seto purring excitedly. „You are so fucking hot, Joey. I’m gonna fuck you until you forget your own name. Is that what you want?“

  
Now, Joey turned to face him, his mouth open so he could still suck in enough oxygen as his breathing quickened. His voice was little more than a raspy whisper as he replied, „Yes, Seto. Make me forget everything. Where do you want me?“

An arrogant smile settled on Seto’s face. He stroked his thumb across Joey’s lips, then replied, „As always, quite the devoted puppy, huh?“

Joey nodded vigorously. „Yes, I’ll do anything you ask of me.... Master.“ Seto’s eyes widened and he now clasped Joey’s chin with firm pressure, lifting his head a little. He licked his lips lustfully, then said, „That’s what you’ll call me from now on whenever I wanna fuck you. Understood?“

Joey couldn’t help smiling slightly, then lasciviously replied, „Understood.... Master.“ Seto returned the grin but immediately became more serious again. „Very good, my puppy. Now I want you to walk over to where I usually sit and bend over the table.“

Oh God... that was probably the greatest idea Joey had ever heard. He was absolutely certain now - they would never be able to walk into that room again, not even for a second, without getting dirty thoughts. And that was amazing.

Joey dutifully obeyed Seto and did as he was told. Impatiently, he waited for everything that would now follow. His head was on the side and he saw and heard Seto coming towards him in slow steps. Suddenly, he felt Seto’s hand on his ass. At first, he stroked it gently, then, he took momentum and gave it a powerful slap. Joey groaned - enjoying the slight pain it caused.

„You like that, Joey?“ asked Seto, and Joey found it incredible how controlled his voice sounded. „Yes, Master. Again.“

He could hear Seto laughing smugly behind him, and the next thing he felt was another smack on his bottom, a little harder than before, and Joey was in such ecstasy that he savoured everything about it to the extreme.

Then, he felt Seto’s index and middle fingers at his mouth, and he knew what to do. He wet it with his saliva, licked it unstoppably and let his tongue dance around it. The next moment, he heard Seto’s voice right by his ear as he whispered to him, „I’m gonna take two fingers right now and you’re gonna take it all in, understand?“

Joey nodded. „Yes.“

Another smack on the butt, even rougher than before. „Yes, what?“ asked Seto in a dominant undertone, hinting at more violent consequences if Joey didn’t do as Seto asked. Excited, Joey bit his lower lip. This was exactly how he wanted it, and he couldn’t wait any longer to feel Seto’s hard thrusts inside him.

„Yes, Master.“

„Good boy.“

Seto took his now richly wet fingers, and as previously announced, he slid both of them into Joey at the same time. He immediately began to move at a moderate speed. It was simply mind-blowing what talent the taller one possessed to hit directly the right spots, and instead of pain because he had taken two fingers at once, Joey felt nothing but pure pleasure. He threw himself at him relentlessly, wanting more, and Seto added a third finger, increasing the speed and hardness of the movement.

Joey moved his head a little in Seto’s direction, who was standing diagonally behind him, watching the blond with an intoxicated expression on his face as he completely ecstatically absorbed all the touches. „Master?“ asked Joey, sliding his tongue over his lower lip, eliciting a pleasurable sigh from Seto.

„Yes, my puppy?“

Joey waited a brief moment, enjoying the feel of Seto’s fingers inside him once more, then opened his eyes again and looked at him piercingly. „Will you finally fuck me now?“

Seto removed his fingers with a lecherous grin and went very close to Joey’s head again, took his chin firmly in his hand, and then told him in his usual commanding tone, „All right, I’ll grant you your wish. But you will look forward the whole time. Got it?“

When Seto let go of Joey’s chin, he immediately followed his order and looked ahead to where the window offered him a view of the night. „Yes, Master. I will do anything you ask of me.“

„God, Joey...“ he heard Seto moan from behind him as he placed his erection at his entrance and entered him only seconds later. Finally - Joey had missed the feel of Seto deep inside him so much. At first, the brunet moved in steady, controlled thrusts that became more demanding and frantic, more heated and passionate as time went on.

Seto gave him another spanking, then said, „Scream for me, Joey. Say my name.“

„A-ah, Seto... yes... Seto... you... are... my Master...“

„Go on, Joey, don’t stop,“ Seto said, and Joey could hear how little his voice still obeyed him.

Incessantly, Seto kept penetrating Joey, and even if he wanted to, he could never suppress the loud moans when he had sex with Seto. And the brunet was fully aware of that, Joey was sure.

„Seto... Master... that feels... so good... please... faster... I... aaah...“

He knew he wouldn’t last much longer, it had just been far too long. Seto seemed to notice because he pulled him up to him from the table, and Joey had to stand on his tiptoes so Seto could keep thrusting incessantly. One of Seto’s hands wrapped around Joey’s member, massaging him in wild motions. He put his free arm around Joey’s neck and pulled him even closer.

Every single word was punctuated by a violent thrust as Seto said, „Come...for.... me... Joey!“

They came simultaneously, heavier than ever before, at least Joey thought so, and he screamed Seto’s name as he experienced the most intense orgasm he had ever had.

Seto slid out of him, but they stayed just like that for a few more minutes, Joey’s back against Seto’s front. Their bodies were still full of heat from what they had just done, and it took them a while to catch their breath.

Eventually, Joey turned around, still breathing heavily, and looked into his dragon’s beautiful eyes. „Seto, that was... absolutely amazing.... I love you, I love you so much.“

Seto took his face in both hands, then replied, „And I love you, Joey. More than you will ever be able to imagine.“

Then, their lips touched tenderly, and there was so much love in this union that Joey briefly felt as if he would burst with happiness.

After cleaning themselves at least superficially, they got dressed again and cleaned up the visible traces of what they had just done in the classroom before going back out to the group. Seto grinned at Joey as they left the room.

„What is it?“ the blond asked, confused.

„Maybe you should go to the bathroom first. Your hair screams ‚I just had sex‘.“

„Oops...“ Grinning, Joey made his way to the bathroom to fix his hair, at least to some extent, then rejoined Seto in the school hallway. „Better?“

The latter nodded. „Better. Come on, let’s go outside.“ And for the few seconds, they were still in the dark school hallway, Seto took his hand and squeezed it tightly, and Joey couldn’t help but think that was a sign of who he belonged to. Yet, there was no need for that sign at all - Joey knew he would always belong to him, for all eternity.

When they rejoined the group, Joey was dumbfounded by how emotionless Seto’s expression could now be. But he was a Kaiba, there was nothing he could do about it, and somehow, Joey was amused by it. A wild animal in bed, aloof and cold in public.

„Well, see who’s joining us again,“ Joey heard Tristan say, still standing close to the fire with the others, and if it hadn’t been so dark, despite the fire, everyone would have seen Joey blushing. „Shut up, moron,“ Joey retorted defiantly, and the group burst into loud laughter, which even Joey couldn’t escape. Looking back at Seto, he could see a very slightly implied smile on the latter’s face - the arrogant type that signalled to him that the night wasn’t over yet. Joey bit his lower lip, which intensified Seto’s smile just a little more and formed his eyes into slits. And Joey couldn’t hide the anticipation of granting his Master more wishes that night.


	23. Rescue me... from going public

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> for him. – Troye Sivan, Allday
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/5gBEdUKVZJgvQwNu8pIQqy?si=5yFaJou-SCa3Eo7KO8lTkA  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDGC47F6k_4
> 
> We are runnin‘ so fast  
> And we never look back  
> And whatever I lack, you make up  
> We make a really good team  
> And not everyone sees  
> We got this crazy chemistry  
> Between us
> 
> And we take jokes way too far  
> And sometimes living’s too hard  
> We’re like two halves of one heart  
> We are, we are, we are
> 
> You don’t have to say I love you to say I love you  
> Forget all the shooting stars and all the silver moons  
> We’ve been making shades of purple out of red and blue  
> Sickeningly sweet like honey, don’t need money  
> All I need is you  
> All I need is you
> 
> ~~~~

After Golden Week ended, the school also started again. It was the first time after their relationship break that Joey and Seto went back to school together, and Joey felt he had so much to catch up on that he could hardly keep his hands off Seto.

As they got into the limo, they still kept up the facade. Everyone fastened their seat belts, Seto put on his uninvolved expression again, everything was just as usual. But as soon as the doors were closed and Seto had raised the dark window to the driver, Joey unbuckled his seatbelt again and sat on Seto impetuously as the car began to move.

Joey knew they would keep their distance in the school day - at least for now, but soon, everyone would know, and his whole body tingled at that thought. Before Seto could say a word, Joey took the latter’s face in both hands and pressed his mouth firmly to his lips. This elicited a soft, pleasurable sigh from Seto and he pulled the back of Joey’s head even closer to him, clawing his hands into his hair. Joey’s tongue played with Seto’s and again and again, he sucked lightly on his lower lip.

The blond broke the kiss and covered every inch of Seto’s neck with soft kisses. As he did so, he could not only hear the latter’s quickened breathing but feel it all over.

„This is dangerous, my puppy,“ he heard Seto say breathlessly, but Joey did not interrupt his caresses. 

„Huh?“ the blond asked in confusion, causing Seto to laugh softly. „You could hurt yourself, all unbuckled.“

Now, Joey did look up, his gaze veiled, but behind the mist, he could still make out Seto’s beautiful, powerful blue eyes. „I’d be more than willing to die for this, Seto.“

Seto’s eyes widened and he had to suck in air sharply, and Joey put on a seductive smile. Then, he added, „What is it? Aren’t ya gonna stop me and rescue me?“

Seto licked his lips eagerly and still keeping his eyes fixed firmly on Joey, one hand went under his shirt, stroking the heated skin. „No, I’ll take my chances,“ he replied, pulling him into another passionate kiss.

When they stopped in front of the school, Joey scrambled off Seto’s lap and had to take a deep breath. „We should stay here for a moment, don‘tcha think?“ he asked with a grin, and Seto returned it with amusement. Then, he replied, „We should sometime get a ride somewhere that takes a little longer. I can think of a few things I’d like to do with you in here.“

Joey laughed out. „Seto, if ya don’t stop, I won’t be able to get outta here all day today.“ He looked at his dragon, his gaze hungry. „But tell me more about it tonight, I’m _very_ interested in your ideas.“

„So, who’s stopping who from getting off now?“ asked Seto, and Joey could see that he couldn’t get the grin off his face either.

When they eventually did decide to leave the vehicle, Joey, as usual, took a few steps ahead and joined his friends, while Seto kept a proper distance. The blond wondered how that would change after the press conference. Would Seto still be at a distance then? Or would they finally be able to indulge their longing in everyday life?

At the moment, at least, his dragon was behaving as usual, which regularly amazed Joey. Seto’s expressionless face betrayed nothing of what they had done in the car just a few minutes ago, and even if Joey also managed not to let his friends smell a rat, he still had considerable difficulty keeping that amorous grin off his face. However, he didn’t try very hard either, he had to admit that to himself. It was part of him, just like the man with the ice-blue eyes.

When Joey entered their classroom, he immediately felt hot and the memory of the past weekend caught up with him. Not wanting to completely freak out, he kept his gaze focused on his own desk, where he now sat down. He looked forward at the blackboard and forced himself with all his energy not to look back. The teacher entered the classroom and the lesson began, and it became quieter in the room. Then, he heard Seto clear his throat behind him, very faintly, but Joey knew exactly how to interpret it. Still, he tried everything to resist the temptation - only to find in the end that he couldn’t fight it.

  
So he gave up and glanced further back in the room, to Seto’s place where they had done unspeakable things to each other. Seto’s gaze was completely forward, he almost seemed a little bored, and Joey had to hand it to him that he was very good at pretending to listen. But the fact that he was gently stroking his table as he did so showed him that Seto was well aware of the way Joey must be staring at him right now. At the next moment, Seto’s eyes fixed him and even at a distance, Joey could see how stormy the blue in them was. His heartbeat accelerated so much that he felt like his heart was about to jump out of his chest. What was this guy doing to him?

Breathing heavily, the blond turned away and tried to get both his breathing and his pulse back under his control to some extent. He had already been aware that he wouldn’t be able to enter this room without thinking back to that hot night, but the fact that he reacted so violently was mainly due to Seto, who didn’t make a face and brought the heat back into Joey’s body with as little as that tiny gesture. „That fucking bastard...“ Joey muttered behind gritted teeth, trying to concentrate on the teacher’s voice. Unfortunately, he was not very successful with that because her voice kept being replaced in his mind by another sound: Seto’s hot, uncontrollable moaning, which he would never ever be able to banish completely from his mind.

When it was finally time for lunch, Joey was glad to get some distance from this room at last. He could only hope that he would calm down again at some point, otherwise, the rest of the school year would be even more exhausting for him than it already was. He walked with his friends towards the canteen while Seto didn’t follow them and went outside with his phone in his hand. Joey heaved a sigh. The brunet had been very busy the last few days, obviously because he had been capable of hardly anything during the time they had been separated and now, he had to iron out what had gone wrong. Joey didn’t like to remember that time, and Seto probably felt the same way. The pain had gripped him so fiercely that he had been afraid it would break him, but he had somehow managed to get through the two weeks without Seto. Well, now that he thought about it, he had survived them, but he couldn’t really say that he had bravely been getting through it though. Joey had been through a lot in his life, but nothing, not even the brute force of his father, had pulled the rug out from under him as much as being separated from Seto did. He was just glad it was over, and he had to make sure that nothing like that ever happened again. For that to happen, though, they both had to do something, starting with open communication. And despite all the progress they had really made, that was certainly still the sticking point in their relationship, especially when Seto was as busy as he was at the moment and they hardly got to see each other.

„Hey, hello, Joey, anyone home?!“ Waking up from his daydreaming, he looked into three pairs of confused looking eyes. „Uh... what is it?“ the blond asked, puzzled.

„We’ve spoken to you a dozen times now, Joey,“ Téa replied in an accusing tone. Then, he heard Yugi say, „You look glum. Are you all right?“

„Hm, yeah, I’m fine,“ Joey replied grumpily, and as he looked into faces that continued to be worried, it was clear that he had not been able to convince them with his half-hearted attempt. And it annoyed him a little that it was so obvious. Actually, it was totally absurd to behave like that just because Seto was a bit more occupied these days.

Annoyed, especially with himself, he took out his phone and scrolled through the last messages they had sent each other, lost in thought. He rested his head on one arm on the table in front of him. Maybe he should text him? But if he was on the phone, what would be the point? But maybe he was sitting at his laptop again, in the classroom?

Immediately, as he thought back to that room, he pushed that thought away again, otherwise, the emotional chaos in his head would only get worse. So he sat up again and typed a message to Seto, not without feeling absolutely ridiculous.

‚Is it stupid to miss you right now?‘

Not even a minute passed before an answer flashed on his display, which he opened in surprise.

‚A little? Going to the canteen in a minute too, but if you knew what those idiots have done to my company.... Sometimes, I just want to run away screaming.‘

Joey was finally regaining his smile now. Yes, he could vividly imagine what that did to Seto.

‚Don’t let that get you down. I’ll see ya in a minute. Will you join us then?‘

He received no more reply to this message - presumably, Seto was already distracted again by other things concerning his company. Or maybe he just didn’t want to give any response to this. After all, he had never sat with them at the same table in the canteen, not until now, not even after they had told his friends. Well, one could still hope for a little miracle to happen.

So Joey finally turned back to his friends, who, in the meantime, had started talking about how they had spent the remaining days of Golden Week. While Yugi had helped his grandpa clean out his shop and Téa had gone on a trip to the mountains with her friends, Tristan had been busy polishing the motorbike he had just bought. „So what have you been up to, Joey?“ asked Yugi.

„Well,“ Joey started to tell, „Seto’s been pretty busy the last few days, so I’ve actually been playing some console games with Mokuba all the time. The kid is really talented, it didn’t matter what we played, he always won. It really pissed me off, I can tell ya, but at least he wasn’t as cocky as his brother would be once he beat me again.“

„Is that so?“ he suddenly heard Seto’s voice behind him and could hear a hint of amusement. „Well, speaking of the devil,“ he heard Yugi laugh. Joey turned his head in Seto’s direction, standing there a little indecisively. With his eyes, Joey pointed to the seat next to him, which was vacant, but Seto didn’t move an inch. So Joey took a deep breath, closed his eyes briefly - only to open them again the next moment and put on the best puppy-dog look he could come up with. Seto, who had his arms crossed in front of his body, heaved a sigh, and as he sat down in the seat next to him, he said, „You’re really a fucking dog, Joey.“

Joey’s winning smile outshone his friends‘ stunned expressions that he had actually joined them at their table. „So what? If I can get my way for it, I don’t care. Have you eaten anything yet?“

He now turned fully to his boyfriend, who was frantically typing on his phone. „No, no time.“

„Here,“ Joey said, sliding him his bento box he’d prepared earlier today. Sometimes, he did that, though he was usually content to eat the meals in the canteen. „I’m not hungry anymore. You didn’t eat breakfast today, did you? You didn’t touch your food and only drank your coffee. Now, put down that phone! You can spare a few minutes. You should eat something, Seto.“

The person addressed didn’t lift his gaze, still focused on typing messages into his phone, as he said, „You’re starting to sound like Mokuba.“

„So what? We’re right, after all! You already haven’t been eating well for the last two weeks. C’mon, at least a little bit.“

„You’re one to talk, as if you’ve been eating so well lately. Eat that trash yourself.“

Joey growled angrily. „Trash? Oi, listen here, moneybags, what I cook is certainly not trash! Unlike you, I can cook!“

Seto sighed in annoyance. „Joey, you’re really getting on my nerves. Eat and be glad I’m even sitting here.“

„Oh, thank you so much, Your Highness, for gracing us with your presence! And I’m sorry I’m just worried that you’re not eating enough. Coffee alone won’t fill you up either.“

„I won’t be able to satisfy my hunger either if my company goes bankrupt and I don’t earn any more money.“

„Are ya stupid or something? Like that’s gonna happen so easily just because you’re on your lunch break.“

When the brunet made absolutely no effort to respond, Joey snatched the phone out of his hand. Seto gawked at him after that, speechless at first and angry the next moment. „Give that back, mutt. Now!“

The blond grumbled in annoyance at the dog’s insult, then replied, „Not until you eat this!“

Suddenly, hearing the group around them laughing merrily, Joey came back to reality. He had been so focused on Seto for the last few minutes that he had tuned out everything else.

„Man, you guys are acting like such an old married couple already, I’ll give you that,“ Tristan chuckled from across the table, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes, and his other friends did the same.

„Shut up!“ said Joey, realising that Seto had said exactly the same thing at the same moment. He then looked at Seto, dumbfounded, before he couldn’t help grinning. Seto’s gaze then softened a little.

For a second, Joey hesitated, then sighed and handed the phone back to Seto. Tristan was right, they were acting like little children. Seto was an adult and Joey was not his mother. If he didn’t want to eat, so be it. But to his surprise, Seto pulled the box towards him, picked up the chopsticks and started eating. Joey smiled and stroked his thigh unobtrusively for a moment before releasing the touch as quickly as he had established it.

All of a sudden, Joey heard someone clearing their throat behind him, and when he turned around to see where the sound was coming from, he saw Mitsuki, a classmate of his. She seemed nervous and excited, stepping from one foot to the other and barely able to look anyone in the group directly in the eye. Her arms were folded behind her back and her face was as red as a tomato.

Joey casually put an arm over the back of the chair, half-turned to her as he addressed her in wonder. „You okay, Mitsuki? Can we help ya?“

She looked up briefly, looking into Joey’s eyes for a tiny second before immediately averting her gaze. „Yeah, um... Joey, could I speak to you for a moment?“

„Uh, me?“ Joey couldn’t hide his astonishment. He had exchanged maybe a handful of words with Mitsuki this school year when they had to do a group work together once, otherwise, he had actually had little contact with her. What could she possibly want from him?

She nodded frantically. „So... in private?“ she asked shyly.

Seto didn’t seem to like this at all, Joey could tell immediately. He didn’t say anything and continued to eat his food, but something in his aura changed. Somehow, he seemed threatening and scary and Joey was overcome by unpleasant goosebumps.

Whatever Mitsuki wanted, it would be rude of Joey not to hear her out, Seto knew that too. And it would probably really be better to get her out of here before Seto made any more moves to put her down Kaiba-style. So he rose from his seat and followed her, still more than confused, into the school hallway, where they stopped in front of the lockers.

„So, what’s up, Mitsuki?“ Joey crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked at her expectantly and curiously.

She played nervously with her hands, her gaze lowered to her shoes. He watched as she took a deep breath and apparently gathered all her courage and now looked him in the eye. In a determined voice, she began to speak. „So, I know this is usually more the boys‘ thing, but.... well, you’re popular among the girls, so I felt I had to do it now or I might miss my chance.“

Pausing for a moment, probably considering how to proceed, Joey was now totally confused. What the hell was this all about? And what did she mean by ‚he was popular among the girls‘? If she didn’t start talking straight now, Joey was going to get a headache.

But he tried to exercise patience, and the very next moment, she continued speaking. „That’s why... I wanted to take this opportunity to ask you if you would... go to the prom with me?“

„Huh? What prom?“ asked Joey, feverishly wondering what she might be alluding to. Then, he suddenly remembered. „Oh, you mean the prom for the graduating classes? Because we’re graduating this year?“

She nodded but remained silent. For a brief moment, Joey had to collect himself, and just as he was about to open his mouth to say something, her face turned bright red and she seemed even more nervous than before. „You... you can think it over first, you don’t have to give me an answer now. The prom isn’t until the end of June anyway. Just let me know sometime, will you?“

No sooner had she uttered these words than she was gone with quick steps, and Joey still wasn’t really able to make head or tail of it. At a snail’s pace and with an expressionless face, Joey made his way back to the canteen. As he plopped back down in his chair, he still didn’t quite know what to make of what had just happened.

„Joey? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,“ Tristan addressed him. „What happened, did she confess her love to you?“ Tristan laughed briefly, but when Joey looked directly at him in response, he immediately fell silent again. „For real?“ asked Téa, almost a little horrified.

Joey now also found his voice again. „I guess something like that just happened, yeah.“ The entire group was shrouded in silence, then, Joey added, „Well, not really. She asked me to go to the prom with her.“

„What?!“ came the astonished response from his friends. The blond was still struggling to fully regain his composure. Seto, who had so far neither commented nor looked at him since he had rejoined the group, now asked him, his eyes still fixed on his food in front of him, „So, are you doing it?“

This was the moment when Joey finally awoke from his doze. He looked at Seto in disbelief but then grinned widely before replying, „Not if you go with me.“

Instantly, Seto choked on the last few bites of food while the rest of the group burst out laughing. Joey patted his dragon on the back a few times until he calmed down to some extent. Joey, who also joined the waves of laughter, added, „No, I’m not going with her. But I still wanna go there with you. Please?“ And when Seto looked into his eyes, Joey knew he had him hooked - as always. He just had that puppy-dog look down pat, and in the last few months, he had brought it to absolute perfection. By now, he knew that Seto would not be able to resist it.

The brunet sighed but then relented. „All right, you don’t have to look at me like that. I’ll come with you, for all I care, but I won’t dance, just so we’re clear.“

Joey was grinning from ear to ear. „Got it. You guys going too?“

„Uh, sure,“ said Yugi, who was obviously still having trouble realising what had just happened here. Everyone else nodded cautiously too, but that was enough of an answer for Joey at the moment.

„So have you told her yet that you’re not going with her?“ asked Yugi.

„No, she left before I could even say anything. And after all, I couldn’t have told her the whole truth, could I?“ He looked at Seto, who nodded at him. „Not yet, no. Though she’ll probably figure it out herself next week at the latest,“ the brunet explained and Joey nodded, lost in thought.

„What’s next week?“ he heard Téa ask with interest. Seto looked at him in wonder. „You haven’t told them yet?“

Joey shook his head. „Not yet.“ He turned to his friends and announced, „We wanna make it public, about us. There’s gonna be a press conference in a few days that Seto and I will attend. Well, and then, the secret’s out, I guess.“

All his friends‘ jaws dropped and Joey looked at them in amusement. „Okay, you guys seem very surprised,“ he brought out with a grin.

„Yeah, well, kind of... I didn’t think you’d wanna do it so quickly,“ Yugi said. The blond just shrugged, then replied, „Well, we only decided a few days ago, too.“

That’s when Seto joined the conversation again. „We need to prepare this well too, Joey. I’ll go over everything with my spokeswoman this afternoon, at least in broad strokes. What days do you have to work this week? We should also meet with her together so you know what to expect.“

Joey nodded. „How ’bout tomorrow? I’m at the cafe today, but I have the rest of the week off.“

„Fine, tomorrow then.“ With those words, Seto pushed the now empty bento box towards him, giving Joey a satisfied smile as he put the lid back on. He looked at Seto and suddenly had an uncanny urge to kiss him, and in his eyes, he could see that he probably felt the same way. But in addition to that feeling, he felt a nervousness rising inside him. Actually, he was looking forward to the game of hide and seek coming to an end soon, but Seto was in the public eye. How would the general public react to their relationship? How would their lives change afterwards? And what impact could it have on Seto’s image? They would not be able to settle all the questions conclusively before the time came. Joey just hoped that everything would go well and that they wouldn’t wake any sleeping dogs.

~~~~

His puppy was nervous, very much so. It wasn’t hard to see that. He had been running back and forth all morning, putting on a new T-shirt every time the old one was soaked through with sweat - and he had done it three times already. Of course, Seto was a little excited, too, but he was used to dealing with the press. Besides, they had met several times with his spokeswoman, Ms Tsukiyama, and had gone through the most important questions they could expect. Yes, they had even discussed the really nasty questions. He knew the press well enough to know that they really didn’t give a shit about feelings. They had prepared for all eventualities, nothing could go wrong - unless Joey lost his nerve. That was the one variable Seto couldn’t plan to the last detail.

As he watched Joey pull his T-shirt over his head once more, about to pull out the now fourth shirt and put it on, he stopped him. Maybe he shouldn’t put another one on for now, or there wouldn’t be any left when it was time to head out.

So he walked up to his puppy, who was making moves to go into their dressing room - in their shared apartment, and that thought would probably give Seto fucking goosebumps forever.

„Joey, come here.“ The blond looked intimidated as Seto held out his arms to him and pulled him into a tight hug. He had stopped him from putting on the next T-shirt, which meant he could feel his bare skin everywhere, even through his own clothes, and he had to pull himself together badly not to take advantage of that. But he knew that would probably only make Joey more nervous now, so instead, he stroked his shiny blond hair and tried to give him the peace he so desperately needed.

He was trembling, just ever so slightly, but Seto could still sense it. He kissed him on the head and strengthened the embrace even more. Then, he said, „It will be all right, my puppy. I’m here, Ms Tsukiyama is here, and we’ll both step in if necessary. Just have a little faith.“

But that didn’t seem to help at all. Joey was a basket case, and even though Seto could understand that this was an exciting and new situation for him, he couldn’t quite comprehend such a harsh reaction.

He took Joey’s face in both hands, pulling him so that he had to look at him, and could see the concern in his eyes. He brushed a strand of hair from his forehead, then asked, „What are you so afraid of, my puppy?“

Joey sighed and broke away from him, running a hand through his hair as he turned his back. There was silence for a few seconds, then, the blond broke the silence.

„I’m not afraid for myself, Seto. I’m not the one with a reputation to lose. I don’t wanna be a burden to you. What if it affects your image or your company? Or even Mokuba? What if it diminishes his career opportunities? Is it worth it, Seto, am _I_ really worth it? Shouldn’t we just drop it? I, uh... I could understand if we had to keep it a secret forever. If that’s the price I have to pay to be with you, then I’m happy to do it. I just don’t want there to be any negative consequences for you.“

Throughout his entire monologue, Joey had not turned back to him. Seto heaved a sigh. „Joey, look at me. Please.“

Hesitantly, the blond turned to him, his gaze still as if of a timid deer. Seto looked at him piercingly, collecting himself, arranging the words in his head. He had to make Joey feel safe, and that was exactly what he would do now.

He took another deep breath, then said, „If it were to be as you say, then so be it. Because that is the price _I_ am willing to pay. You don’t have to worry about Mokuba - he will join KaibaCorp as soon as he is old enough. He’s a smart kid, and tough, even though he may not look or act like it. He’s well aware of the consequences this news could cause, but he didn’t hesitate for even a second to tell us straight up that he supports us, that he’s more than ready for whatever happens.“

Seto took a step towards Joey, who looked transfixed in his face, and placed a hand on the latter’s cheek, caressing it gently. „And as for me, I’m an even tougher cookie. If you think a few journalists are gonna break me, you really don’t know me at all. I know they’re vultures, all of them, addicted to the next story and the next scandal. They are not humans to me. I don’t value their opinion, nor do I trust their competence to assess certain situations. When I think about it, it is an imposition to even use the word competence in a sentence with these creeps. Stupidly, I still have to act professionally because you’re right, they do have some power.“

After his last words, Joey somehow looked even more vulnerable. So he lifted the latter’s chin before continuing in a determined voice. „Joey, don’t worry about it. Let’s run this through for a second. What’s the worst-case scenario? Inciting hate against me and my company because I love a man? Could happen, and maybe it will, but Ms Tsukiyama has already taken precautions for that and written a press release clearly stating that homophobia has no place in my company. Could this cost us sales? It might. I am also aware that there are still a lot of people in Japan who condemn love between two men. But you know what? The generation that buys my games doesn’t, or doesn’t to the extent that older people do. And they’re not my target audience anyway. Besides, I make a lot more sales outside of Japan now, so let’s just assume theoretically that Japan ceases to exist as a market - which won’t happen, just to be clear about that. Then, there are still many other markets that can make up for that. Furthermore, even in the event that that happens, I would not lay off any employees in Japan. Because I know that six months from now, when I release the next AI game that kids will be licking their lips for, nobody will remember it anyway.“

Joey’s astonishment was clearly written on his face, but as he still said nothing, Seto continued. „Joey, I love you. And if anyone out there has a problem with that, then let them stop buying my games. But I’m not gonna stand here and pretend that this love doesn’t mean everything to me. Like you don’t exist. I stand by you and our relationship and I also feel excellently prepared for anything that might come. Believe me, I’ve been through a lot, I’ve had some bad press, and I think I have a good idea of how things are gonna turn out. I don’t think it’s gonna be as much of a drama as your head is trying to tell you right now. And as you can see, I’ve thought it all through logically.“

He rested his forehead against Joey’s, sucked in his scent and closed his eyes. „I’m here, Joey. You don’t have to worry about me, or Mokuba, or my company. I told you once and I’ll tell you again: I’d give up everything for you. So even in the event that my company went belly up - which, again, is not gonna happen - I’ll stay by your side. Forever. Because I love you, my puppy, and there is nothing more important than you. You and Mokuba are my family, and we both know better than any idiot out there how important family is. Nothing will ever be able to stop me from wanting to be with you.“

When Seto lifted his head again, he saw tears streaming down Joey’s cheeks. Smiling, he brushed them away, one by one, then, Joey pulled him stormily into a hug.

„Damn it, Seto, I don’t deserve you. You’re way too good for me.“

Seto hugged Joey tighter again, enjoying the feel of him against his skin. „Of course you deserve me. We both deserve each other. And today, we’re gonna show that to the world. Okay?“

Joey broke away from him and his smile had returned, instantly blowing Seto away. Those golden eyes always left him speechless, which was funny when he had just delivered an hour-long monologue. But for Joey, he would do anything, turn over any stone, walk any path. Whatever the consequences.

During the ride in the limousine, Seto held Joey’s hand tightly, stroking it relentlessly to make Joey feel safe and not afraid of anything at all. He never took his eyes off him, and Joey returned his gaze unceasingly. Seto had never been really excited before press conferences, but then, there had never been an emotional connection. He would do his best to avoid showing it openly to Joey, but at this moment, he was also a little nervous. But the previous intensive preparation had also given him a sense of security, so nothing would rattle him too much.

The limousine stopped and Seto knew they had arrived in front of the hotel in whose conference hall they would hold the press conference. Before they got out, he turned to Joey one last time. „Ready?“

His puppy smiled at him and charmed him with it as only he could. „No. I wanna run screaming if I’m honest. But I don’t run away from any challenge. That’s just not my style.“ He grinned and Seto jerked him close, eliciting a surprised gasp from the blond.

Seto’s lips were inches from Joey’s mouth, he could already feel his warm breath all over his face, oh, in every cell of his body. Seto stroked Joey’s back tenderly as he said, „I know, my puppy, and I admire that very much about you. And now, I finally wanna show all the people out there that you belong to me.“

He watched Joey’s eyes moisten slightly as he pulled him into a devoted kiss. He closed his eyes tightly to enjoy the moment to the fullest once more before they faced the inevitable. When he broke away from the blond, he could see it strongly in his eyes again - the fighting spirit and the will to never give up, come what may.

They got out of the car, Joey also on his side of the car, and immediately, they were surrounded by photographers and journalists. Only a short time later, his security guards were on the scene, the number of which he had increased significantly before the press conference, and shielded them both from the hustle and bustle. He could see that this intimidated Joey a little again, so he put an arm over his shoulder and pulled him a little closer. It would be pointless to keep much distance now when they were planning to make it public in a few minutes anyway.

He pulled Joey with him to the entrance of the hotel and the blond clung to him the whole way. Somehow, this felt really damn good, even if he didn’t like seeing his puppy like this. But being his protector was probably just in his blood, he had done it with Mokuba many times before. But with Joey, the feeling was still a little different. It was more intense, somehow, even if he couldn’t really explain why because he was just as likely to step into the breach for Mokuba.

In an anteroom to the conference hall, they met Ms Tsukiyama, who greeted them with a friendly smile. Joey and Seto had by now broken away from each other but were still walking close together.

„Mr Kaiba, Mr Wheeler, good evening. Everything is prepared. No unexpected surprises, at least so far.“ She reinforced her smile again and Seto nodded at her. She was one of the few employees in his company that he could fully rely on. She was really excellent at her job and had been able to avert a crisis or two. She always went into the annual salary negotiations quite tentatively, and Seto always gave her what she asked for. He did this with perhaps a handful of employees in his entire company, and everyone knew that was probably the greatest compliment Seto could give them. However, no one could expect to get more than they negotiated for themselves. He would never go that far.

He took a deep breath and grabbed Joey’s hand, who looked up at him in surprise. He gave his hand a little squeeze and smiled at him, and his puppy returned it victoriously. Then, they broke away from each other again and followed Ms Tsukiyama into the conference hall.

A small stage had been set up, with three chairs at a long table. Ms Tsukiyama sat down on the chair furthest from the entrance, Seto took a seat in the middle, Joey to his right. As usual, Ms Tsukiyama opened the press conference.

„Thank you very much, also on behalf of Mr Kaiba and KaibaCorp, for all of you coming today.“ All three bowed slightly to give the greeting an even more serious expression. Seto despised these typical Japanese courtesies, but if they got him where he wanted to go, he gladly complied.

„First, Mr Kaiba will say a few words to you and resolve why we have scheduled this press conference at such short notice. After that, you will be given time to ask questions.“

She nodded at him, which was his cue to get going. There were a great many sounds in the background - be it a rustle of paper, the click of pens, or camera noises, the room was filled with a variety of sounds, even when no one was speaking at all.

Seto cleared his throat, then began to speak. „Good evening. Thank you again for making room in your no doubt busy schedules to be here today. In fact, I do not wish to make an announcement regarding my company today. Instead, it is a personal announcement. Of course, as Ms Tsukiyama has already mentioned, you will be given the opportunity to ask questions about it, which is precisely why we have chosen to hold a press conference rather than sending out a simple press release.“

With that, he was done with the introduction and knew that now the much harder part would follow. He peered over at Joey and was amazed to see how composed he seemed. His gaze was directed forward and even if he couldn’t look him in the eye at this moment, his whole aura testified to the fact that he wouldn’t give up without a fight here - if there would be a fight at all.

Now, Seto looked again into the mass of journalists who were looking at him full of expectations. One last time, he sucked in the air deeply and let it out of his lungs again, then, he made the statement they were all here for today.

„The man on my right is Joey Wheeler. We are here today to announce that we are a couple.“

He looked around the room and let that information sink into everyone’s heads first. Actually, there wasn’t really much else to say about it either. He could feel the atmosphere in the room change. Obviously, no one had expected such an announcement, and the surprise and astonishment about it were clearly palpable. It was silent for maybe five seconds, then the first cutthroat from the audience took the floor.

„Mr Kaiba, can you tell us how long you’ve been together and where you two met?“

Good, it started with an easy question, that should only be fine with Seto. He nodded and answered the question. „We’re classmates and became friends in the last few months. And then, one thing led to the other.“ He would leave it vague like that, and apparently, that was okay because the journalists now clearly jumped at him to get more information. They were all shouting at the same time and Ms Tsukiyama had her hands full trying to get order in the confusion of voices.

Then, another journalist addressed a question to him. „Mr Kaiba, rumour has it that you two are already living together?“

  
Seto put on his usual arrogant grin. They had, of course, announced beforehand that Joey would be attending the press conference, so it was no surprise that this scum had found out about his puppy. Still, nothing he couldn’t answer with ease.

„That’s correct, we’ve been living together for a few months.“ This obviously caused some commotion in the hall because the journalists‘ voices were already trying to drown each other out again. „Mr Kaiba, can you tell us how you came to live together? Were you already a couple when you moved in together?“

„No, not at that time. Let’s just say Mr Wheeler was a friend in need and I gave him shelter.“ That was all Seto would say about that because it was none of these retards‘ damn business either. As always at such events, he struggled not to say exactly that out loud, but he had to remain professional. And that’s when the next question came rushing at him.

„Mr Kaiba, when did you realise you were gay?“

Of course, he had prepared himself appropriately for this question as well and had thought of a suitable answer that would also bring him a bit of fun. With feigned astonishment, Seto raised an eyebrow before replying, „Who said I was gay?“ This led to surprised faces in the room, and he had to pull himself together badly not to grin. This was exactly the reaction he had expected, his plan had worked perfectly.

„Uh, well... You’re with a man, right?“

Seto nodded. „Correct, with _one_ man. I don’t care about other men, or let’s just say people, of any gender. I have never been and will never be in a relationship with anyone other than Mr Wheeler.“

At that moment, he heard Joey breathe in abruptly beside him. He could see out of the corner of his eye that he was looking at him with the same amazement as their audience. Seto had hoped a little to tease that reaction out of him. What he had said was more than true and it was his way of telling the world that there would only be Joey by his side for all time.

„How can you be so sure, Mr Kaiba?“

Seto shrugged his shoulders. „I just am very certain about that, you’ll have to trust my judgement on that.“

And at that very moment, the crowd’s gazes turned away from him and looked at Joey, and Seto had the feeling they were about to eat him alive with all their questions.

~~~~

Joey’s heart was pounding. The sounds in the hall created a constant background noise, everyone kept interrupting each other and it was just too loud and stuffy for him. Maybe he was just overwhelmed with the overall situation, but he tried not to let it show so much.

In contrast to how he felt, Seto looked absolutely in control. Routinely and as they had discussed, he answered the journalists‘ questions. Only the last question about his sexual orientation they had not clarified in such detail in advance, at least not when Joey had been present, and when he heard Seto answer it, he loved him just a little more if that was even possible. He actually looked irritated for a moment when he was asked that question. Like it was such an absurd thing to ask. In fact, he could well understand it. If he were a journalist, he would have asked that question too. After all, Seto was probably one of the most famous bachelors in town, if not in all of Japan, and now, he was suddenly off the market - and then, with a man, too. It had been clear that this would lead to questions. Or had he wanted to lead the journalists up the garden path with this initially evasive answer? He could hardly imagine that Seto, who usually thought everything through to the smallest detail, had not prepared the answer to this question.

He felt the attention slowly shift from Seto to himself, and like hungry predators, the journalists were now looking at him. Joey had to swallow hard and braced himself for what was about to come.

„Mr Wheeler, what was it like with you? When did you realise you were gay?“

Joey looked over at Seto who was looking him straight in the eye, his gaze a little softer than before where he had been the centre of attention. He lost himself in the ice-blue of his eyes, feeling that uncanny connection to his dragon that could never, by anything, be broken. Almost as if in a trance, Joey began to answer the question without taking his eyes off Seto - who also did not avert his eyes.

„Actually, Seto... I mean, Mr Kaiba, just gave the perfect answer already. I’ve never been attracted to anyone before him, of any gender.“ He smiled briefly at Seto, and it was obvious to everyone in the room how much love was in that look. Taking a deep breath, he gathered all his courage to speak more openly. He looked back at the crowd, which gaped at him curiously.

„If I’m being honest, I was quite surprised by it myself. It’s no big secret that we couldn’t stand each other until we eventually could. And now, I wouldn’t wanna live without him, not even for a single day.“ Joey’s gentle smile turned into a grin as he heard Seto inhale sharply beside him. Surely, they should all know how he felt about him. He was not ashamed of his feelings.

Endless incomprehensible babbling again, then the next question. „Mr Wheeler, are you just after Mr Kaiba’s money?“ It was a question they had touched on in their preparation, but now that it was asked, it still shook him a little.

He heard Ms Tsukiyama clear her throat and speak up. „Mr Wheeler will not be answering that question...“

„No, it’s fine, no problem at all,“ the blond interrupted her. Yes, it had him shaking for a second, and as he looked down at his intertwined hands, he had to collect himself for a moment. But then, he looked up and was suddenly just sure of what he had to say. Ever since Seto had said that earlier, that he wanted him and only him in his life, Joey had felt a sense of relief. That he had said it so openly and honestly, in front of people who meant nothing to him, that was everything to Joey, the ultimate proof of love. And he would return the favour now, with whatever answers he could give. So he let his heart speak and switched off his thoughts.

„I think your question is perfectly valid. You will have read up on me, on my family background. You will all have followed the court case. So it’s not difficult to assume I’m only with him for the money. But I can assure you, I am not. Even if he was as poor as a church mouse or suddenly had nothing, I wouldn’t leave him. Never.“

Again, he heard the crowd shouting wildly. Had they been this boisterous with Seto, too? Possibly, but it seemed even more intense to Joey now. But he had nothing to hide and was willing to speak openly about his feelings if it was necessary and useful.

„How can you be so sure, Mr Wheeler?“

Joey smiled. „I could give you the same answer right now that Mr Kaiba gave you about that, but let me elaborate a little more.“ Before he spoke further, he looked over at Seto, still smiling broadly, and could see how taken aback he was. And honestly, could Joey blame him? After all, he was totally flabbergasted himself at how freely he could suddenly speak. However, Seto didn’t seem to mind his openness, quite the opposite - it looked more like he was fascinated by it. Joey couldn’t take his eyes off him, even during his following words.

„I am so sure because we have been through hell together. Because he rescues me as only he can rescue me. As you will know by now, from the information that became public during the court case against my father, I did not grow up in a very loving environment. On the contrary, I had to deal with a father who was not only a notorious drunk, and probably still is if they give him this stuff even in prison, but also violent. I have great friends who have always stood by me, but he had been the first person I fully opened up to and who gave me the chance to reach closure.“

Joey felt the first tears running down his cheeks, but he couldn’t stop talking. He was in a frenzy, and he directed all the words he said more to Seto than to the audience, which was amazing, given that he had been so extremely nervous before all of this that he would have thought he could barely get a word out. And now, somehow, it felt so easy and natural to let the words flow freely.

„He is the most important person in my life. Because he knows me and because he sees me as I really am. He treats me with respect and decency and respects my feelings and wishes.“ He had to laugh for a moment and looked into the audience that was listening to him intently. „Well, except when we have a spat. That can be about the silliest things. The other day, he wouldn’t eat his lunch, it almost led to a bloodbath between the two of us in the canteen at our school.“ Joey laughed heartily and heard that laughter spread throughout the room. And when he turned his gaze back to Seto, he perceived how it became completely silent in the hall. There was no more sound of a pen writing on a piece of paper, no more tapping of keys on laptops, not even the clicking of camera shutter buttons. Joey felt the whole atmosphere had changed - had the audience been a chaotic bunch of people before, it was now more civilised as if no one wanted to miss what he had to say. Seto was glued to his lips too, and Joey would not be able to escape that intense gaze from his dragon.

„But I think that kind of thing is just part of us. I, for one, probably couldn’t do without these little jibes. It makes me feel... I don’t know, kinda alive. Which I always feel like when we’re together.“

Joey sighed. There was so much more to say, and he had the feeling that the audience was addicted to more, too. And he would give them what they wanted.

„You know,“ he began to speak again, with an openness he had thought impossible just a few hours ago, and which now came so easily to him. „I was all nervous all day today. Ran around frantically and had to shower about a dozen times because I was so excited.“ He noticed the laughs in the background but kept talking, not even caring that he was now using Seto’s first name. „Seto noticed and was there for me. Gave me peace and strength, confidence. Without him, I would still be sitting here shaking like a leaf. But with him by my side, I have this tremendous certainty that everything will be all right. Because he would do anything for me, and I for him. Because he means the world to me, and much more. Because I love him like I have never loved anything or anyone in my life.“

He was still looking dreamily into Seto’s eyes, and the blue in them suddenly looked like millions of sparkling sapphires. His heart beat faster at the piercing look Seto sent him. He was so beautiful, and if there was no one in the room now, he would rush up to him and kiss him, but that would be a step too much for him now - despite all the openness - and Seto probably felt the same way about it. 

„I hope this answers your question to your satisfaction,“ were Joey’s final words to the crowd, and with his lips, he formed an ‚I love you‘, hoping Seto would understand. The immediate change in the latter’s eye colour, however, signalled to him that his message had been well received.

„We hereby conclude today’s press conference and thank you again for coming,“ he heard Ms Tsukiyama say. He stood up, bowed politely to the journalists and was about to leave when he felt Seto’s hand on his. The brunet stood beside him and intertwined their fingers even more, and hand in hand, they left the conference hall, leaving a cheering and raging crowd behind them, even if Joey didn’t really understand what they were shouting at them.

Back in the anteroom of the hall, Seto immediately pulled him closer by his hand. He clasped his face with his large, warm hands before capturing him with his lips and kissing him intimately. Joey returned the kiss without hesitating and wrapped his arms around Seto’s waist.

The brunet released the kiss without averting his gaze from him, which was intense and clouded at the same time. Then, with a tenderness that made Joey’s body tingle all over, he said, „I love you, Joey.“

The blond smiled, then pulled Seto down to him again, and just before their lips met once more, he said, „And I love you, Seto. From now on, forever.“ And as they kissed, the butterflies in his stomach sent the wind of their rapidly moving wings to every corner of his body.


	24. Rescue me... from planning our future (part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> Blueberry Eyes (feat. SUGA of BTS) - MAX
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/5dn6QANKbf76pANGjMBida?si=36BxO-SmS3qghlJpymC7lw  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzFRVk2ektI
> 
> Damn, you look so good  
> Laying there wearing nothing but my t-shirt  
> Your body's a neighborhood  
> Wanna drive my lips all around it
> 
> 'Cause I'm holding my breath  
> Wondering when you're gonna wake up in my arms  
> Head on my chest, my heart's beating  
> I can't wait to...
> 
> Kiss you each morning with strawberry skies  
> 'Cause I get so lost in your blueberry eyes  
> I'm running through my dreams to see you in the light  
> 'Cause I get so lost in your blueberry eyes
> 
> ~~~~

„Waaaaaah!“ Mokuba and Joey looked together at the newspaper Seto held in front of them and couldn’t get out of their amazement. They immediately let go of their breakfast and the blond snatched the page from Seto’s hand. They skimmed the text, which was less an objective journalistic report than a commentary on the previous events. Well, that was only logical, after all, this had been published in the gossip section of the newspaper - that Seto had even glanced at it astonished Joey immensely, but he couldn’t focus on that thought any further as his gaze continued to slide across the page. The picture above the post showed Seto and him - leaving the conference room of the hotel, where the press conference had taken place, together, hand in hand. Impatiently, he now began to read the text in its entirety.

‚Seto Kaiba, CEO of KaibaCorp, revealed that he is in a relationship with his classmate Joey Wheeler in a press conference last night that had been announced at short notice. The fact that the two had been socialising outside of school had already become public in recent months, as Mr Kaiba had been involved in a court case concerning Mr Wheeler’s father. He was sentenced to five years in prison for assaulting his son, which he is currently serving.

Nevertheless, this announcement initially surprised all the journalists present, as Mr Kaiba is rather regarded a closed and unapproachable as well as a cold businessman. Little had been known about his private life so far.

The fact that Mr Kaiba had decided to make this announcement to the public, contrary to these facts, led to a great deal of astonishment in the hall. But this dissolved at the latest when Mr Wheeler, who had also taken part in the press conference, came to speak.

At the beginning, the media representatives quickly had doubts as to whether he was not only interested in the CEO’s rich fortune. Answering such a question can quickly turn out to be a difficult challenge, especially if one has little experience with the press, as is the case with Mr Wheeler.

However, it quickly became apparent that Mr Wheeler is a very warm, open person who was not afraid to answer this question honestly and straightforwardly. The way he described his relationship with Mr Kaiba, there was no doubt that true love was involved. In his explanations, Mr Wheeler easily managed to find the perfect balance between revealing details and yet keeping necessary discretion. With a lot of wit and humour, he succeeded in convincing the crowd about himself and his relationship with Mr Kaiba. He had let those present in on his emotions and, through his absolutely authentic demeanour, ensured that the audience cheered enthusiastically and wished them good luck for the future as they ended the conference and left the hall hand in hand.

Because so little is known of Seto Kaiba’s personal life, it is difficult to judge if this relationship is meant to last. However, if one watched Mr Kaiba during Mr Wheeler’s monologue, it could be clearly seen that he also had the same feelings. They also say that opposites attract, and if that is the case, then we can well imagine that the future holds a lot of positive things for the two of them. The fact that Mr Wheeler has managed to win the heart of a man who is sometimes described as cold-hearted who doesn’t really let anyone get close to him is at least proof that nothing can shake this relationship so quickly.

In any case, we at Domino Post wish Mr Kaiba and Mr Wheeler all the happiness in the world. May their love look forward to a long future.‘

„Mokuba! I’m so happy! I wanna cry!“ shouted Joey loudly, sounding the entire dining room after he had read the text over and over again, and by then, there were numerous tears rolling down his cheeks. The smaller one couldn’t hold back the tears either and nodded vigorously while they both still had a firm grip on the newsprint with one hand each.

„They love you, Joey!“ sobbed Mokuba. Joey kept moving his head frantically up and down and felt his cheeks glowing. He had expected just about anything in advance, but to hear himself being praised after the press conference had not been a realistic option in his mind. Yes, he even had the feeling that he had snatched the leading role away from Seto. Relief spread through him and all the tension he had felt before the announcement of their relationship had vanished all at once.

Hearing Seto laugh briefly, he lifted his head and saw him staring at his phone, focused but with a slight smile on his lips. Then, he looked up and looked Joey straight in the eye, his gaze confident and perhaps a tiny bit smug.

„Joey, remember when you said you were afraid this whole thing would cause my company to suffer?“ Joey nodded, his eyes curiously fixed on Seto. The brunet placed the phone on the table, folded his arms in front of his chest and grinned as he explained, „Well, I just checked the numbers from this morning. It looks like I got 30% more orders in compared to an average other day - and it’s only seven in the morning.“

Joey’s eyes widened in amazement. Hearing that only made him happier. He had been really afraid that it would hurt Seto, and he would definitely have been willing to let it be their secret forever, but it had been the brunet who had then finally insisted on announcing it despite all the risks. And Joey now had to realise that his instincts had not deceived him. He really was an outstanding businessman, the blond had to give him that, and he resolved to trust Seto more in such matters in the future. He had been running this company for a few years now and could judge it best, and he had prepared himself really well, they both had. And in the end, it had been worth it - and apparently not only from an emotional standpoint.

Seto, who had been sitting opposite him, now took a seat in the chair next to him. He took one of Joey’s hands in his and brought it to his lips, then said, „You see, there was no need to worry. On the contrary, instead of harming me, you have rather become my golden boy, and I think that term fits you perfectly in many ways.“ Joey was very close to him now and could see Seto’s eyes becoming more and more restless as if a violent storm was brewing over the sea, and if Mokuba were not in the room now, he would probably be all over him, but he tried to control himself as best he could.

So he only gave him a fleeting kiss on the mouth and could see exactly that Seto wasn’t fully satisfied either, but they would have to wait for a better time for more. Still holding one of his hands, he now brought his second hand to Joey’s cheek and caressed it tenderly. A comfortable sigh escaped Joey and he pressed himself even closer to the touch as he smiled silently and happily at Seto, who returned it.

At some point, Joey came back to reality because there was one question they hadn’t settled yet. „So what do we do now? I mean, how do we act in public? We don’t have to hide anymore, but.... I don’t know, it’s hard for me to think of exactly how we should act with each other now.“

Seto nodded in agreement and seemed lost in thought for a moment. „Good question, and I don’t really have an answer to it, which is mostly because I’ve never been in a situation like this before either.“

When both of them were silent again for quite a while, Mokuba suddenly joined the conversation, and while slowly going back to his breakfast, he said, „Why don’t you decide on the spur of the moment? I don’t think you can plan it down to the last detail now. Just see how and what you feel comfortable with.“

Joey looked at him in amazement and came to the conclusion, not for the first time, that Mokuba was more mature than he looked or his age indicated. Joey remembered that before the press conference, he had been worried that Mokuba might also come to harm and lose career perspectives, but now had to conclude that this worry had really been unfounded. As Seto had said, Mokuba was very smart, and he was only about to turn 14 - who knew how he would develop and how intelligent he would be once he reached Seto’s age. Joey heaved a sigh - he really was living here with two absolute prodigies.

It was only when he felt Seto’s hand on his thigh that he escaped from his thoughts and looked into his eyes, which had meanwhile become softer and calmer again. „Mokuba is right, I think. We’ll know when the time comes,“ Seto explained. Nodding, Joey agreed and replied, „Sounds good. We should get going, shouldn’t we?“ And as they made their way to the limousine, Joey still couldn’t shake the uncertain feeling that had settled into his body.

The ride was more or less silent, and despite the fact that Seto’s last words had sounded quite confident and strong, a tense atmosphere spread through the car. When they stopped in front of the school, they remained seated for a brief moment. Joey turned to Seto, who was frowning a little, and Joey couldn’t help but wonder what was going through the taller man’s mind.

Sighing, Joey was the first to break the silence. „Do... you think... everyone already knows?“ he stammered, and again, an ominous feeling came over him of what was about to happen. He could see his words startling Seto somehow as if he had been totally lost in his daydreams. But as soon as he returned Joey’s gaze, he put on that confident smile again, and the strength he radiated was something that Joey could use right now as well. Seto straightened up, then said, „Let’s find out.“

And with those words, Joey got out - and immediately noticed small groups of students forming, whispering uninhibitedly. It wasn’t hard to tell what their number one topic of conversation was at the moment.

For a second, he was so shocked that he was still standing in front of the car, barely able to move. He suddenly felt hot and had no idea what to do. So much for them knowing how to act once the time came. It was rather the opposite - Joey had not a single clue what to do now. He was only subtly aware of the additional security guards Seto had hired after they had announced their relationship. But presumably, they even intensified the curiosity of their fellow students and put them right into the centre of general attention to an even greater extent.

With almost too casual steps, Seto walked around the car, stood next to Joey and crossed his arms in front of his body while leaning back against the vehicle. He scanned the surroundings carefully with his eyes and then came to the obvious conclusion, „Well, looks like the news has already spread.“

How could he remain so calm about that? Normally, Joey had no problem being the centre of attention, in many cases, he even enjoyed it, but in this particular case, he was actually quite uncomfortable. And it wasn’t because he was embarrassed to be with Seto. But what was actually the reason then? Thinking back now, he realised that he had been very much looking forward to this situation when the game of hide and seek would finally come to an end.

Was he afraid of the other students‘ opinions? Hm, no, that wasn’t entirely it. He had never really been interested in what others thought of him, at least not if it wasn’t his own friends, and they had known for a while already.

Or was it simply because it was such a new situation that he had never experienced before? Like riding a rollercoaster for the first time, or the excitement before his very first exam? More like it, but he felt even that didn’t quite hit the point yet. As if there was still a crucial variable missing from the equation.

He heaved a loud sigh. Why was it that the person who drove him to the brink of madness was so often himself? He looked beside him, at Seto, whose gaze was still fixed on the school forecourt. Then, Joey noticed what factor was still missing from the formula.

Joey couldn’t shake the feeling that their previous deliberations had been less about how they _wanted_ to behave but rather about how they _should_ behave. So the component that further intimidated Joey was apparently the man next to him, who usually gave him so much safety. The important question now was: How much would Seto want to allow? After all, he had so far avoided showing any emotion in public - although he had taken a huge step in that direction when he had openly admitted his love for Joey during the press conference.

And anyway, what did he actually want himself? Would he want to touch him while all eyes were on them? Would he kiss him, even if he was sure he was being observed? He had the feeling that he was going in circles because these questions were again only aimed at how it would look to others.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. It all boiled down to the one question he had to answer for himself before he could even take a step towards a possible solution: What would make himself happy?

He imagined them making their way to class as they always did, without touching, Seto a few steps behind him and his friends. That would probably be the safest option, but something about it made him sad. It had all been so nerve-wracking, the press conference and its preparation too, and all this only to return to old patterns? No, that was definitely not what he wanted.

The next thought that came to him was basically the complete opposite of that. It was about Seto kissing him in the middle of the path, but it wasn’t just a simple, tender, fleeting touch, no, it was a real kiss, full of passion and desire for more. One where Joey felt the tremendous heat rising inside him, where their tongues danced wildly around each other and their bodies pressed fiercely against each other, while Seto’s hands couldn’t get under his T-shirt fast enough.

Joey’s breath caught momentarily, then, he gasped, his eyes still closed. There was something about this idea, and somehow, he found the idea of shocking his classmates with it incredibly funny. But no, that would probably be a bit too much. There had to be a good middle ground between the two trains of thought, that much was for sure.

„Hey, you guys gonna fall asleep there or what?“ Hearing Tristan’s loud voice, Joey abruptly opened his eyes and came back to reality. He looked over at Seto, who had apparently drifted off in thought as well.

„How long have we been standing here, Seto?“

„I don’t know, probably longer than we should,“ the brunet replied with a grin, and Joey had to smile too. At least they shared the same fate.

He watched Seto sigh - and then take the initiative. He took his hand and his gaze was a little uncertain, but then, he intertwined their fingers and strengthened his handshake. He turned his front to Joey now and smiled tentatively. Joey noticed how his face blushed just a little bit and he could feel how Seto had just asked himself exactly the same questions. And this was the result, this was obviously what made _him_ happy. It was perfect, just the middle ground Joey had been looking for, at least for now. It gave him back a bit of the courage he had been so lacking. It was as if they had merged into one, the hard shell of which the still incessant stares of the other students would simply bounce off.

And when Joey also tightened his handshake, Seto’s smile grew bigger, too, and he could see the longing in his eyes to touch him even more. And who knew if that wouldn’t even be possible from now on? They had found a good starting point that gave them both a basic framework to build on and gave them a peace of mind about not having to decide right away how much felt right for them. They had plenty of time to figure it out.

„Ready?“ asked Seto, and Joey nodded. „Ready when you are,“ he replied, and as they took the first steps towards Joey’s friends to walk with them into the school building, it also felt to the blond as if they were now opening the door to a future where nothing could ever separate them.

Of course, they were haunted by curious glances all day, but somehow, Joey had got used to it faster than he would have thought possible just a few hours ago. At least, they hadn’t been asked about it, and his friends hadn’t said a word about it either, but they had been so late in the morning that there had hardly been a chance for a longer conversation. He knew it would certainly be something for the lunch break when they would also have the necessary peace to discuss it.

When the school bell finally announced the big break and all the students made their way towards the canteen, Joey dawdled around and was one of the last to leave the classroom with his friends and Seto. And just as the group stepped out of the room, he could see Mitsuki standing directly opposite at the lockers. Seto stepped next to him and took his hand again. Joey had to laugh briefly - he could read it exactly in his face that he was marking his territory here, and he found that both amusing and idiotic. Where the brunet got the idea that he would just replace him with a girl with whom he had hardly exchanged words in his life was really beyond him. And yet - he also enjoyed this gesture, liked this signal to everything and everyone that showed who he belonged to.

„Hey, why don’t ya guys go ahead, I’ll be there in a minute,“ he said, addressing his friends, and when Seto didn’t even think about moving even a single inch away from him, he added, „You too, Seto.“ He put on his usual gloomy, threatening Kaiba-face and looked directly at Mitsuki, and Joey now placed himself between them both so he had to look at him instead. He wouldn’t have to say it out loud for Seto to understand that his behaviour was totally inappropriate. Mitsuki had really gathered all her courage last week to ask him out for the prom, and he owed it to her to give her a proper answer, even if it was more than obvious what it would be.

Seto sighed and reluctantly wanted to release his hand from Joey’s, but Joey reached for it again and squeezed it tightly. The brunet had just made it clear who Joey belonged to by taking his hand, and now, Joey wanted to give him exactly the same sign. He shouldn’t have to worry for even a split second that he wouldn’t be by his side one day. Because that wasn’t going to happen. Never.

Joey loosened their hands as Seto gave him a tiny smile, obviously understanding what he was trying to say. It still made him happy to see how they managed to say something, even if they didn’t say anything at all. They had made this magical connection that he had never felt before, and he knew there would never be another like him in this world. Inwardly, he had to laugh - for the rest of the world, he could only hope that there was no second Seto Kaiba, for it was enough to have one who tried to destroy everything and everyone with his ice-cold stare.

When Seto also moved towards the canteen, he looked after him for a second, then turned to Mitsuki and gave her a friendly smile. „Shall we go back to the classroom? It might be a bit quieter there.“ She was having trouble looking directly at him again, but despite that, he could see her whole face was red as a tomato. She also looked hurt. He let her go back into the room first and couldn’t help feeling bad, even if he hadn’t done anything wrong. But still - he had never wanted to hurt anyone, and her feelings actually seemed genuine. He just didn’t reciprocate them.

Joey closed the door behind him, leaned back against it and put his hands in his pockets. Mitsuki stood by the window and was looking out as if she were watching something very important outside. The atmosphere was uneasy and neither of them seemed to really know what to say. But then, Mitsuki broke the silence, and without turning to him, she said, „I saw the press conference.“

Joey didn’t really know what to say to that. He had never been in the situation of having to reject someone before and doing it now did not feel good, to say the least. But there was nothing else he could do.

And just as he was about to open his mouth and reply something, she turned to him - and smiled? Joey’s confusion was probably written expressively on his face, which actually made her laugh out loud.

„Listen, Joey,“ she began, „if I had known about this between you two, then, of course, I wouldn’t have asked you out. I’m sorry I put you in such an uncomfortable position.“

Joey returned her smile and shook his head. „You didn’t, don’t worry about it. Even if I had wanted to, I couldn’t have told you last week. So I guess my answer would have been even more unsatisfactory at that time.“ He took one audible breath, then took a few steps towards her. „I’m sorry, Mitsuki, but I can’t go to the prom with you.“

She nodded but didn’t lose her smile, and Joey could see that it was indeed genuine. „That’s what I thought. Honestly, I was really surprised. You and Kaiba, huh?“ They both burst out laughing at that.

Joey wiped a few tears of laughter from his eyes before Mitsuki spoke again. „But hey, I wish to find what you have someday. What you said at the press conference.... I guess everyone wishes for a declaration of love like that sometime in their life. And even just now, in the school hallway - it’s so noticeable how you’ve grown together. It’s like you’re soulmates.“

Joey hadn’t thought of it that way, but he had to agree with her. He understood Seto blindly, and vice versa.

„Mitsuki, I wish you’d find someone like that someday. That someone just isn’t me, unfortunately. If you saw the press conference, then you know that for me, there will always be only him. I’m really sorry that I...“

She raised her hands defensively and interrupted him. „No need to apologise, Joey. Really, it’s all good.“

Smiling, they both nodded to each other, and he was glad that it had gone so smoothly and that he didn’t now have to reproach himself for making a girl cry. He was amazed that she was taking it so calmly when just a few minutes ago, she had seemed so intimidated. But perhaps, it had simply helped that they had retreated to a quiet room, unobserved by others. He could hardly imagine that a rejection in the midst of other students would have been insanely easy to bear, even if he was lucky enough never to have to experience that himself.

„Are you going to the canteen too? Wanna go together?“ asked Joey, and she immediately started moving. The blond was relieved that they were able to sort it out so quickly, and on the way to the canteen, they chatted casually about school stuff, which relaxed him even more. As they entered the canteen, he waved her goodbye, they parted ways and Joey sat down with Seto and his friends in their usual spot.

„So, how did she take it?“ Tristan asked him as soon as he sat down. Joey sighed but couldn’t suppress a slight smile. „Quite well, actually. Definitely better than I would have thought.“ Seto, who was sitting right next to him, still exuded a dark aura despite the fact that he had just turned Mitsuki down. Amused, he poked Seto in the side. „Stop being such a sourpuss already. Or are you jealous that I’m the one of the two of us who has other admirers?“

In reply, Seto just puffed and went back to his food, which made Joey and the rest of the group laugh out loud.

„But that press conference was unreal, dude! You didn’t look nervous at all, Joey!“ exclaimed Tristan almost admiringly, as soon as the group had calmed down again. Joey was grinning from ear to ear as he replied, „Yeah, right? Wasn’t that just really brilliant of me, the way I pulled that off?“

„Mmmmm-hm,“ Seto mumbled from his right, his gaze still focused on the food in front of him, and something about his tone provoked Joey. The blond growled before turning to him and replying, „What? Was it so unbelievable that I was nervous before? I just don’t have as much practice with the press as you, you arrogant prick! And anyway, it wasn’t like I was tense just because of me if you remember. And when it came down to it, I was confidence personified!“

Joey glared angrily at him, and when Seto turned his eyes ever so slightly in his direction, he could see them gleaming with amusement. It was quite obvious that he had simply wanted to provoke him, and he had fallen right into his trap. Seeing this, Joey shook his head and had to laugh a little at himself. Seto just still enjoyed teasing him like that in front of his friends - and somehow, Joey needed it, too. When they were alone, it was very different between them, and then, in the group, there was a whole other dynamic developing, as if they were still the enemies from back then. Actually, this should bother Joey, but somehow, it also gave him a sense of normality. Sure, they had made their relationship public, but that didn’t mean they had to behave completely differently now.

And besides - he found it exhilarating to know that Seto didn’t show the side he displayed when they were alone to everyone. The side that signalled to Joey again and again - with words or gestures - how much he loved him. Of course, he also noticed the signs when they were in public, be it the fleeting touches or the glances they gave each other - but it was just much more subtle. And yet - Joey always knew exactly how to interpret them. And from now on, they wouldn’t have to be quite so subliminal, and that thought made his heart leap a little.

Joey heaved a sigh. He still let him provoke him far too easily - maybe he should think of a good counter-strategy? A tiny grin came to his lips and he decided to come up with a plan to get Seto off his guard in such moments. His ambition was sparked.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard Yugi say, „It’s totally normal to have stage fright before something like this, Joey. I thought you handled it really well. And if you were nervous, at least it didn’t show.“ He saw all his friends nodding in affirmation. 

„Yeah, and what you said was so beautiful, Joey,“ Téa added, propping her head on her arms, and if Joey didn’t know better, he almost recognised something like little hearts in her eyes. Joey blushed slightly and smiled wryly, becoming a little uncertain and not quite knowing what to say in response. It was true, everything he had said was the absolute truth, and he had simply let the words of his heart run wild. He had never spoken so emotionally about anything or anyone before, certainly not when television cameras were pointed at him. But he hadn’t been able to help it, the words had just flowed out of him. Even if he had wanted to hold back, he probably wouldn’t have been able to.

Then, he suddenly felt Seto’s hand on his thigh and could see that his gaze had softened a little too, although he was sure no one else would notice. To anyone who didn’t know him as well as the blond, he looked the same as ever, and Joey’s heart beat faster at the thought that only he could see him like that, and Seto only let him see it. The corners of Joey’s mouth pulled up a little and he put his hand on the brunet’s. At first, he stroked it gently as they gazed unceasingly into each other’s eyes. His skin was a little rough and dry, and instantaneously, the thought occurred to Joey whether he should just get him some hand cream. He moved his hand under Seto’s and slipped his fingers between his, increasing the pressure slightly. A warm feeling spread through his whole body and he wanted so much to kiss him now. Would that be possible? They were already back in their own world where nothing seemed to exist except the two of them. Seto’s eyes radiated pure longing and unconsciously, they had slid a little closer together. In the background, Joey could hear muffled sounds, but the only thing he could hear clearly was Seto’s breathing. He was calm, raising and lowering his chest in an absolutely steady rhythm. Joey could now feel his own breathing adjusting to him as well, without really noticing. It was as if they were one that could not be torn apart.

He didn’t know exactly how much time had passed, but at some point, he arrived back to reality, more consciously aware of the sounds surrounding them. It was breathtaking every time how much power Seto had over him. One moment, they had been more or less belligerently at each other, and the very next, he felt nothing but this deep love that every other person on this planet was now allowed to see.

Joey let out a short, happy sigh before he released their hands from each other again so that he could take out his bento and finally get to eat something. And just as he unzipped his bag to take out the box, Yugi seemed to start a new topic of conversation, and it seemed as if he had deliberately waited to give Seto and him this moment of togetherness - if you could call it that in the group.

„So, since we were talking about the prom earlier,“ Yugi said, looking curiously around the group. „Do you all have any plans for what you’re going to do after school?“ Before Joey could even think about it, Tristan was already grinning victoriously - as if this was going to be some kind of competition - and let it be known, his chest swelling with pride, „Well, I’m gonna join my dad. He’s got a car workshop and I’ve always helped out anyway, on holidays and stuff.“

Yugi gave him a friendly smile as he replied, „That’s a great plan, Tristan! I’ll probably take over the shop from my grandpa sometime in the next few years when he retires. That means I’ll be supporting him full time after graduation and start preparing for that.“

Joey looked at him in amazement. „You don’t wanna study, Yugi?“ The blond was quite taken aback by this, after all, Yugi was one of the most intelligent people he knew. Shouldn’t he make better use of all the potential he had?

„Well,“ the colourful-haired man resumed, putting a hand to his chin as he pondered Joey’s question. „Yes, I do, but I think I want to concentrate on the shop for now and also attend more tournaments. Maybe I’ll take up studying in a couple of years, it’s not necessarily something I need to do right away.“

„So, I definitely wanna study,“ Téa said, all eyes now on her. She heaved a sigh and propped her head on one elbow. „I’m also studying for the entrance exams right now, which are before the prom. It’s really not gonna be a walk in the park.“

Yugi, who was sitting next to her, patted her shoulder encouragingly. „You’ll be fine, Téa. And if you ever need help, we can study together. I’m not taking the exam, but sometimes, it helps if you don’t have to do it alone.“ Téa smiled gratefully at him and nodded.

„Well, and I suppose we can all guess what that ice block over there is going to do,“ Tristan said, looking at Seto dismissively. Something about that pissed Joey off, and before he could admonish himself for proper self-control, the words in his head were already fighting their way out of his mouth on their own.

„Hey, you idiot, can you imagine how hard Seto works for his company? He’s often not home until midnight and still manages to come to school every day and probably gets pretty much the best grades of all of us. Besides - can you claim to have achieved something like that in your life? Do you know how successful his company is? Of course, he’s not gonna just give it up after school! Stupid dumbass!“

And while Joey was talking himself into a rage, he felt Seto’s hand on his thigh again. Out of the corner of his eye, he could notice that the brunet wasn’t looking directly at him, but his gaze was again - or still? - a little softer.

Joey puffed out loud once, then leaned back against his chair, arms folded, and muttered, „For real, duh.“

His friends just grinned at him. Were they doing it on purpose because they knew how much it upset him by now when Seto was attacked? It didn’t seem to bother the brunet much though, but he was probably just so used to criticism anyway, that couldn’t be avoided when you were in the public eye. Besides, he made no secret of how little he valued the opinions of others, let alone those of the ‚geek squad‘ - only with Mokuba and Joey did he seem to make an exception.

„So you don’t wanna study then either, Kaiba?“ asked Téa, tilting her head a little. By the time, Seto looked directly at her, his gaze had become so cold again that the air between him and Téa was about to freeze, but he kept his hand on Joey’s thigh before replying, „What for? Everything I need to know to run my company I already know. And all the knowledge I need in the future I can get another way. Studying would not offer me any added value and would be far too generalist anyway. A waste of time to deal with so many things that are irrelevant to me.“

Joey nibbled his lower lip as he pondered what Seto had just said. He wasn’t wrong though, Joey had to admit. He hadn’t really given much thought to what Seto would do after school. But if you looked at it closely, it was actually only logical that he would concentrate even more on his company. A subtle smile now came to Joey’s lips - if he was already so successful with his company now, how profitable would it become once Seto devoted all his time to it? Although this time hadn’t even come yet, Joey was already unspeakably proud of him. He shook his head at the strange feeling.

At that moment, Seto turned his head towards him, his hand still on his thigh. The brunet looked at him curiously as he asked, „And you, Joey, what about you? Are you going to study?“

For a few seconds, a stunned silence fell over the group, then, they collectively burst into peals of laughter, including Joey himself, so much so that they could hardly breathe for laughing so hard. That Joey would ever be asked this question, he would never have imagined in his wildest dreams, and his friends seemed just as surprised by it.

He wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes before turning to Seto to give him an answer. Still half-laughing, he explained, „No, I’m not gonna study. Honestly, Seto, the fact that I’m graduating from school at all borders on a miracle. I can hardly imagine that I would even come close to passing the entrance exam for any university. And anyway - have you seen me really study even once in the last few weeks or months?“

Now, Seto had to smirk a little too, even though Joey could see exactly how hard he was trying to suppress it. At the same time, Joey would really like to see it now, but Seto just couldn’t take the plunge, at least not yet, not at the moment, even if there were definitely moments when he was more approachable, even if they weren’t alone. But Joey wouldn’t want to change him just for the hell of it either.

As Joey put his hand back on Seto’s, he heard the brunet speak again, „So what do you wanna do then?“

Shrugging, Joey replied, „I’ll just keep working at the cafe, but full time. I’ve already discussed it a bit with my boss but haven’t signed anything yet. I like my work there, especially the contact with the guests. And I couldn’t imagine sitting in an office or a library all day anyway. I’d go insane from boredom or maybe get some kind of cabin fever.“

Seto’s subsequent reaction unsettled Joey somewhat. The brunet broke away from him and turned to his food again as he grinned to himself, and Joey felt an uneasiness rising within him. It looked like the taller one had just made some kind of plan, and Joey was already getting an eerie feeling at the thought of finding out what exactly he was up to.


	25. Rescue me... from planning our future (part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Music inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> Golden - Harry Styles
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/45S5WTQEGOB1VHr1Q4FuPl?si=-5pzcDvVSki-9Jyg86nI4Q  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3cffdsEXXw
> 
> I know it doesn't quite fit, but it somehow always reminds me of Joey and therefore inspired me while writing :)
> 
> Golden, golden, golden  
> As I open my eyes  
> Hold it, focus, hoping  
> Take me back to the light  
> I know you were way too bright for me  
> I’m hopeless, broken  
> So you wait for me in the sky  
> Browns my skin just right
> 
> But I, I can feel it take a hold (I can feel it take a hold)  
> I can feel you take control (I can feel you take control)  
> Of who I am and all I’ve ever known  
> Loving you’s the antidote
> 
> Golden  
> You’re so golden  
> I don’t wanna be alone  
> You’re so golden  
> You’re so golden
> 
> ~~~~

Seto was sitting at his desk at KaibaCorp, typing the last numbers into the spreadsheet before he shut down the computer and went on his way. He looked at the clock - it was just after 6 pm and he knew Joey would have to work until about 8 pm today.

When the blond had announced in the canteen a few days ago how he envisioned his professional future - at least in the short term - Seto had made a decision. As he made his way to the limousine, he thought with a grin about how Joey had reacted. He’d been really trying to get out of him what he’d been planning for the past few days - it had been obvious right off the bat that he had a specific idea, but Seto hadn’t backed down. No, he wanted it to be a surprise, and today was finally the day he would put his plan into action.

The ride in the limousine didn’t take long, and when he got out, he had to realise that he had never been here before, even though it wasn’t that far from his company building. The small building looked quite respectable from the outside. The exterior of the cafe where his blond whirlwind worked had been painted ochre and a beige awning provided shade for the seats outside, which was an advantage especially now that the temperatures were rising significantly. Although that was hardly necessary at this time of the day. The outside area was adorned with a few potted plants, many with colourful flowers. Seto was not at all familiar with any kind of vegetation, so he couldn’t tell what exactly they were, but it all looked very aesthetically pleasing and coherent, somehow creating a warm and loving atmosphere. He had never been to Paris, but this was roughly how he imagined a typical French cafe. Almost a bit kitschy, now that he thought about it.

When he entered the cafe, a small bell announced his arrival and the first thing he noticed was the sweet smell of cake still warm from the oven, closely followed by the wonderful aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Jazz music played softly in the background. The interior was flooded with light because it was lined on the sides with floor-to-ceiling windows facing southwest, so the sun had to illuminate the room brightly all day. The air was cooled by the air-conditioning system so that the room as a whole had a very pleasant temperature. Seto could also make out a wide variety of plants here, some on the floor in appropriate pots and containers but also hanging from the ceiling. He smiled slightly - he could now vaguely imagine why Joey liked his work here so much, if only for the atmosphere.

And no sooner had he thought of his puppy than he came around the corner at a quick pace to greet the new customer, who was still standing at the door.

„Welco-... huh? Seto?“

Seto let both hands disappear into his pockets and his smile intensified a little more. Yes, that was exactly why he hadn’t told him he was coming here. He just loved surprising his puppy like that. The look on his face, whenever he did that, including right now, was just worth the wait. He looked at him with amazement but also a little disbelief as if he didn’t really want to admit that Seto was actually standing here right now in the cafe where he worked. He was wearing his usual ruby coloured waiter’s apron, along with a fanny pack that presumably contained his wallet for collecting money from the guests. He was simply beautiful, Seto couldn’t describe it any other way. The sun was slowly setting, and under the delicate, last rays of the sun, Joey’s face looked so soft that Seto could only with great difficulty restrain himself from just taking it in both hands and kissing him all over.

It was only when Joey took a few steps towards him and addressed him that Seto woke up from his daydreams again. „Seto, what are you doing here?“

The brunet laughed briefly before replying, „You said you wanted to continue working here after school. Well, I thought I should check if you were really making the right decision.“

Joey still seemed more than irritated. „Do you feel like I made the wrong decision?“ But Seto just shook his head before replying, still smiling, „No. Not at all. I’m honestly just curious.“

Now, Joey also returned the smile and for a moment, it was as if it was just the two of them in the room. But then, the blond seemed to realise that he was still here at his workplace and Seto could see something like ambition in his gaze. Even though he hadn’t doubted Joey’s decision for even a second, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he would still want to prove it to him. Or even more so now.

He was led by Joey to a seat right by one of the floor-to-ceiling windows. As the blond handed him the menu, he propped himself up on the round table for a brief moment and looked out dreamily. „You know, if I were a guest here, this would be my favourite spot. It’s in the middle of the cafe, so you can get a good look at everyone from here, and that’s probably what I’d do all the time, at least if I were here alone. You sit right by the window, which means no matter what the weather is, you always get the most light here. And I think the view from here is also the most beautiful because you don’t look at the main street but directly at the park next door.“

Now, he looked straight at him before adding with a grin, „Most people prefer to sit outside in spring and summer, at least if the weather cooperates, but I’d choose this spot here any time of year.“

Seto placed his hand on one of Joey’s for a brief moment and returned his smile. „You’re right, it’s perfect. So are you.“

He noticed Joey blushing slightly and smiled in satisfaction. He hoped he would have that effect on his puppy forever. It was much more than just the sheer feeling of power. Whenever he saw the stirrings he triggered in the blond, his heart skipped a beat and he couldn’t help but realise how strong his love for him was.

Joey said nothing in response to Seto’s previous statement, just looked at him smiling dreamily, and that was really all Seto needed to know. Then, Joey said, „So, do you want your coffee like you always have it?“ Seto nodded at him and couldn’t help but notice that Joey would probably make it perfectly, if only because he liked his own coffee the same way. Seto loved all the things they had in common, but this one, in particular, was, for whatever reason, one of the most precious to him. Perhaps because it had been one of the first he had discovered.

Joey was about to leave to prepare the hot beverage for him and also to serve other guests when suddenly, they heard a loud noise from Seto’s neighbouring table and a child started crying. Joey, who was still standing at his table, was a little startled when he noticed it but quickly regained his composure. He murmured briefly to Seto, „Excuse me, please,“ then went to the table to see what had happened.

Seto watched each of Joey’s steps. The child’s parents apologised profusely to the blond - it looked like the child had spilled her cocoa on herself which gave her a fright. Joey quickly fetched a wipe to clean the table and also took some paper towels. When he got back to the table, the little girl was still crying bitterly. Seto watched as Joey refrained from cleaning the table further and squatted down to be on the same level as the girl. Even at a distance, Seto could see how bright his eyes shone as he smiled at her and handed her some paper towels.

„Hey, did you get scared? Don’t worry, it’s not bad at all, it’s all right. Do you know how many times this has happened to me?“

The girl stopped crying immediately, even though there were still a few remaining tears coming off her eyelashes and rolling down her cheeks. „It’s happened to you too?“

Joey patted her on the head, then replied, „Sure! Lots of times.“ Then, he held a hand to his cheek in such a way that he could whisper to her without her parents seeing his lips move. „Y‘know, it’s only really embarrassing when you spill things on others. Happened to me too, I could have cried.“

The girl pressed her lips together with a grin and her cheeks turned rosy. It looked like Joey had just told her a juicy secret that she couldn’t tell anyone. Seto couldn’t help but admire how quickly Joey had managed to calm the child. It was simply amazing how easily he had found the right words and won the girl’s trust in no time.

His puppy grinned at the little girl before stroking her hair reassuringly for a second. „What’s your name?“ he asked, still crouching in front of her.

The girl looked uncertainly over at her parents and a faint smirk settled on Seto’s lips. Smart kid, don’t trust strangers. He would have liked to tell her not to be afraid of Joey, but he didn’t interfere.

Her parents probably saw it the same way and nodded at her, so she turned back to Joey and answered happily, beaming, „My name is Téa. And what’s your name?“ Seto watched as Joey’s eyes widened in amazement, only to put on a friendly expression again afterwards. „Téa, then. A very dear friend of mine is called that too, y‘know. Happy to meet ya, Téa. I’m Joey.“

Little Téa’s cheeks turned pink, and with shining eyes, she asked, „Does that mean we’re friends now, too?“

Joey laughed heartily, and Seto’s whole body became suffused with an indefinable warmth starting from the sound of his laughter. The blond gently stroked her hair again, then replied, „Of course we are.“

Joey then ended his conversation with the girl and stood up again, now cleaning the rest of the table. As he moved away to prepare Seto’s coffee, he was not let go without listening to more apologies from the parents. But kind-hearted as his puppy was, he just waved it off, and on his way towards the kitchen, he glanced once more at Seto and gave him a loving smile that made Seto’s heart beat like crazy.

While Joey was busy, Seto thought carefully about the scene that had just taken place. He couldn’t get that image out of his head, how gently and empathetically he had handled the child - he had been able to observe that with him when he talked to Mokuba, but this was something else again. For one thing, the girl was much younger than Mokuba, she was probably no older than five, and for another, he didn’t know her at all and had obviously felt the need to care for her so devotedly. Maybe that was normal and Seto had just never had the desire to help other people the way Joey did? Possibly, but that someone cared for others as passionately as his puppy, he had actually only observed that in him so far.

And then suddenly, an idea came to him, just as Joey appeared with his coffee and put it down on his table. Before the blond could move away again to attend to other guests, he momentarily took Joey’s hand to get his full attention. „Joey, do you have to work this weekend?“

Surprised, he returned the look, but then said, „No, why?“

Seto smiled softly and warmly at him - probably surprising himself the most, but he could see clearly from here that no one was paying any further attention to them. „Let’s go for a ride. There’s a place I’d like to show you.“

Joey grinned mischievously before replying, „And you probably won’t tell me where we’re going beforehand, right?“

Seto nodded. „Correct.“ Amused, Joey rolled his eyes, but Seto knew his curiosity was stronger than his urge to put him in his place. The blond seemed to think so too as he agreed to the trip and went back to work while Seto devoted himself to the really excellently prepared coffee.

The following days, Joey had again tried in vain to get more information out of Seto, but he had no chance. The impatience was all over Joey, even when they got into the limousine on Saturday morning. Seto would have loved to be a fly on the wall and know what the blond was thinking about where they were going, but that would probably remain his secret forever unless he could bring himself to ask him directly. At least, he left it at that for now and instead looked forward to the day with anticipation, eager to see how Joey would react.

The ride took less than 20 minutes. When they stopped in front of the brick building and got out, he could clearly read on Joey’s face that he had no idea where they were. Seto stood beside him and asked, „So, any guesses?“

Joey narrowed his eyes a little, as one would when it was dark to see more, and then replied, „I have absolutely no clue, Seto. Where are we and what are we doing here?“

Seto couldn’t help smiling slightly, again so pleased to have the element of surprise on his side. „Come,“ he said, holding out his hand to Joey, which he took with a smile. That they could now show their affection so openly when they were in public, and if only by holding hands, was still exciting for Seto, but at the same time, it was the most wonderful feeling in the world. 

With his free hand, Seto opened the gate and guided the blond through without having to take their hands off each other. The narrow path led towards the two-storey building, its bricks covered by abundant ivy, though not completely. A few feet before they reached the front door, the door opened and a middle-aged woman stepped out.

„Mr Kaiba, good to see you,“ he was greeted kindly by her. Of course, he had announced himself beforehand and also informed her that he would not come alone.

He nodded to her in greeting. „Joey, this is Mrs Nakamura. She runs this orphanage.“

„Orphanage?“ Joey’s eyes widened in surprise when Seto finally opened up to him about where they were. The brunet nodded gently at him, then resumed. „Mrs Nakamura, this is my partner, Joey Wheeler.“ He then looked at Seto a shade more astonished, almost tempting him to grin affectionately at him, but he refrained, after all, they weren’t alone now. He couldn’t blame him though - they hadn’t had the opportunity to introduce themselves to strangers before, and now introducing him as his life partner for the first time was something he would probably remember forever. It was a special moment, and he was almost a little disappointed that they hadn’t immortalised it in a photo that they could stick in their photo album.

Mrs Nakamura also smiled kindly at Joey and extended her hand to him. „It’s nice to meet you, Mr Wheeler.“ Joey seemed to regain his composure quickly and now extended his hand as well and returned the handshake. „Likewise.“

„Please, do come in.“

They stepped into the building, which had been built sometime in the 19th century. Seto immediately noticed the old smell that the brickwork gave off. Whenever he came here, even if it didn’t happen that often anymore, he felt transported to another time every time. And he enjoyed it because it was a welcomed break from everyday life, and sharing that now with his puppy only made it more pleasurable.

Joey looked around curiously, and while he obviously couldn’t decide where to look first as they were led through the corridors, Seto grabbed his hand again and intertwined their fingers. Joey looked at him from the side for a short moment and smiled as only he could. He had known it before, but now, it was even more obvious - bringing Joey here had been a fantastic idea.

„Wow, this building is huge! How many rooms are there?“ asked Joey, turning to Mrs Nakamura, who promptly replied. „That’s right, we actually have a lot of rooms, there are around 30 in total if you count common rooms, washrooms and kitchens. We have about 70 children in the house, usually, a few of them sleep together in a room.“

„And what‘s the background of the children? Like, why are they here?“

„It’s for very different reasons. With many children, both parents are actually no longer living. But there are also some for whom it is different. When you hear the term ‚orphanage‘, you always think that the parents have died, but we usually also take in children because their well-being is endangered in their parents‘ home or because the parents themselves decide to give up the child.“

Seto found it remarkable how naturally Joey could start a conversation with the orphanage’s manager as if he had been here several times before. He seemed immediately at ease, and that made Seto quite happy. All the orphanages he supported were important to him, but this one had a special place in his heart.

At some point, they stopped at a large door and when Mrs Nakamura opened it, they were led into a large hall filled with many children’s voices. The large windows at the far end of the room let in a lot of light and even from here, one could guess what a breathtaking view one would get of the adjacent garden if one looked through it.

„Kids, listen up! This here is Seto Kaiba, one of our biggest supporters, and this here is his partner Joey Wheeler. Please say hello!“

Immediately, the children lined up and greeted them with a polite bow. Seto could see that it wasn’t all the children of the orphanage, probably not even half of them, but many were certainly in their rooms or in the garden as well.

Joey seemed lost in thought for a moment, then released his hand from Seto’s and took a step towards the children. As he had done with the girl in the cafe, he now crouched down to be at the same height as the smallest ones, even though there were definitely older children who now towered over him. Still - it was to be a symbol that he was not above them, and that made Seto’s heart skip a beat again, and then again when he heard him begin to speak to the children.

„Hi. It’s nice to meet you guys. You can call me Joey if you like. Do you wanna tell me your names?“

At first, the children held back and Seto understood exactly why. He knew from his own experience when he himself had also been an orphan, that strangers were not to be trusted so easily. When he thought about it, it wasn’t much different today. But then, a child from the back row sprinted forward to Joey and held out his hand - it was a boy, maybe seven years old, and he was grinning from ear to ear.

„Hi. I’m Haruto!“

Joey took his hand with a smile. „Hello, Haruto. How old are you?“

The little boy’s smile got even wider and he showed Joey all his existing teeth, with some missing. He held out exactly seven fingers - so Seto had hit the bull’s eye with his guess. Then, Haruto asked briskly, „And how old are you?“

Joey returned the smile before replying, „Guess.“

Haruto scratched the back of his head thoughtfully, then said, still lost in thought, „I don’t know, 40?“

Instead of taking that as an insult, Joey immediately burst out laughing and Seto noticed that a few other kids started laughing too. He could well understand, Joey’s heartwarming laughter was simply infectious, so much so that he himself had enough trouble containing himself as well.

„No, I’m only 18, and I don’t know now if it’s a good or a bad thing that I obviously look older.“

Haruto seemed embarrassed, but no sooner did Joey stroke the boy’s head affectionately than the tension disappeared. Joey was just incredibly talented with children, and Seto wondered where that came from. Maybe because he had a little sister? Although, then Seto would have to have at least a tiny bit of talent. But he didn’t. Not at all. Zero. Except maybe with his own brother, and even with him, he sometimes acted very stupidly. Even though he would never say that out loud, of course.

„So, you wanna show me what you just did?“ And that’s when Seto saw the first kids rushing towards him, hastily taking him by the hand and pulling him further into the room. They showed him everything they had just played with - be it puzzles, toy cars or dollhouses. While Seto stood in a corner with Mrs Nakamura, watching the blond in fascination, Joey set to work, taking time to talk to each child, if only for a few minutes.

At some point, the orphanage manager said goodbye because she had something to take care of, and Seto nodded goodbye to her. He was far too captivated by what he was seeing to really talk to her anyway, so he found it more of a relief that he now had the time and peace to watch Joey closely. It was crazy really - they’d been here for maybe half an hour, but every kid in the room, without exception, had already built up so much trust with him that they were literally vying for his attention. Seto took a deep breath. He still couldn’t believe that from now on, Joey would always be the man at his side, and watching him devote himself to the children made him love him even more. If that was even possible.

After obviously playing with each child, he stood up and looked at Seto, and immediately, the latter was captured by his beautiful golden-brown eyes. With slow steps, he approached him and took his hands without taking his eyes off him, while he had a gentle smile on his lips.

Joey took one last look at the children, but by now, they were so involved in their games again that they hardly paid any attention to them. With his eyes, he signalled to Seto that he would like to be alone with him for a moment, and he would be only too happy to grant him this wish.

He led him through the corridors outside into the garden. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining full force and the sky was cloudless blue. A gentle breeze blew in their faces and Seto immediately had the smell of the rose bushes from the garden in his nose - they were probably the only flowers he would ever recognise properly, and that was pretty much it when it came to vegetation.

Joey took his hand again as they strolled leisurely through the garden. It was quiet for a while and Seto could see the blond looking around in silence. Then, they stopped and were surrounded by rose bushes, and the flowery scent in the air intensified a little more.

„It’s stunningly beautiful here, Seto. Do you wanna tell me why you brought me here?“

Seto smiled - he just knew him all too well to believe that it was pure coincidence that he had chosen this orphanage. He tenderly stroked a strand behind his ear before replying, „I support many orphanages, not only in this city but all over Japan. But this one is special to me, so I wanted you to see it.“

He didn’t have to say anything, because Joey seemed to understand immediately what he was alluding to. He let his gaze wander over the garden, then asked, „Were these rose bushes already here when you were here with Mokuba?“

Before he replied anything, he took Joey’s face in both hands and kissed him tenderly. That he had realised so quickly that it was the orphanage where Mokuba and he had once been housed was extraordinary but not entirely surprising either. Joey knew him best, usually, he didn’t have to say anything to understand him. And that was wonderful.

When he broke away from him again, he said, „Yes, there were a few of them back then, too. Mrs Nakamura as well, by the way, just not yet as the orphanage manager.“

Joey gently placed a hand on his cheek, stroking it tenderly. „How was your time here?“

Seto took Joey’s hand and kissed the back of it softly as he put his other hand on Joey’s hip and pulled him a little closer. „Well, I’ve already told you about all the adoption attempts. Other than that, our time here has actually been quite nice. Mokuba and I played a lot of chess. We were always a bit left out, and Mokuba was often teased, but it’s not like I don’t have fond memories of this place. Otherwise, I don’t think I would support it or even come here again.“

Despite the fact that his statements actually had a positive undertone, he could detect a hint of pity in Joey’s eyes. But before the blond could say anything, Seto beat him to it.

„Joey, I didn’t bring you here to make you feel sorry for me. Really, it may not have been the easiest time in my life, especially the first few months after our parents died. But I’m sure it could have been far worse for us.“

He heard Joey take a deep breath, then he said, „And why am I here? I understand that you just wanted to show me this place too because it means a lot to you, but why can’t I shake the feeling that there’s more to it than that?“

Again, Seto had to grin because it was just incredible how easily Joey saw through him. „You’re right, it’s not the only reason. When I watched you in the cafe, dealing with that little girl like it was the most natural thing in the world, I just knew you would like this place. And well, I thought maybe it would open up an additional perspective for you too.“

Joey looked at him in irritation. „In what way?“

„Professionally, I mean. When we were talking to the ‚nerd herd‘ about our professional future, you said you wanted to keep working in the cafe. It sounded to me a bit like you had no other alternative. But maybe this could be one. I know they’re looking for staff right now, and based on how you handled the kids just now, they’d probably offer you the position with pleasure.“

But Joey still had confusion written all over his face. „Don’t you want me to keep working at the cafe?“

Seto had to laugh briefly before replying, „No, I don’t mean it like that. I’ve been watching you and I absolutely have to acknowledge that you’ve been doing a damn good job. I just want you to have a choice. And I know you, probably better than any other person. I can well imagine that you might enjoy working with the children here.“

In very slow steps, Joey’s smile faded and he heaved a sigh, and now it was Seto who was perplexed. „Did I say something wrong, Joey?“

He looked him in the eye, and Seto immediately realised that the blond had self-doubt. But before he could ponder what it was all about, Joey solved the mystery.

„No, the idea itself is not bad. I felt I got on well with the kids too. It’s just...“

Seto put his hand back to Joey’s cheek. „Just, what, Joey?“

It took a brief moment before the blond replied, but after another deep breath, he explained, „Well, I wonder if I’d be such a good role model for those kids. After all, I did some pretty stupid things myself after my parents got divorced. And I’m afraid that what happened to me might somehow have a negative effect on how I deal with them. Does that make any sense to you? It’s hard to describe.“

Seto pulled Joey into a tight hug and stroked him on the back of the head while resting his own head on his shoulder. Joey now wrapped his arms around him as well. Then, Seto said, „I think it’s more the opposite. That what you’ve experienced helps you deal with them. They too have experienced a lot, Joey, very different things. I can imagine that your own experiences help you to empathise with each of them. At least that’s what I felt when I watched you play with them. You really have a talent for building trust with others so quickly. Really, I can hardly imagine that others would succeed that fast. Certainly not me, that’s for sure.“

Joey rested his head against Seto’s chest and had to laugh. „Can’t argue with ya there, ice dragon.“ Seto joined in his laughter now too.

„And as for what you did when you were younger,“ Seto said, „don’t worry about that. I think a lot of kids do some stupid things when they’re younger, and a lot of it they regret later. Maybe your own experiences will even help influence them in such a positive way that it won’t come to that.“

Joey broke away from him and looked at him with that gaze that was so full of love, and Seto returned it. Then, Joey spoke, „Maybe you’re right.“ He paused for a moment before tilting his head and looking at him questioningly. „But when you say that you support this orphanage, does that mean that if I worked here, you would also indirectly pay my salary? Because I can tell you right now, if that’s the case, you can forget it. I owe you more than enough as it is. I wanna be independent and earn my own money, that’s important to me.“

„Don’t worry,“ Seto replied, carefully stroking Joey’s cheek. „It’s true that I support the orphanage financially. However, the funds are earmarked. My donations go exclusively to something like equipping the orphanage, so, for example, furniture or toys, or even for maintenance.“ He shrugged his shoulders before adding, „I probably own half of these rose bushes here. And some more things you see in the garden. But the salaries are mostly financed by public money.“

That seemed to reassure Joey and he nodded at him almost a little relieved. But after they were silent again for a while, he heard him sigh and then speak, „But I also like my job at the cafe. It’s not just a stopgap to work there, I really like my job there. But working here sounds kind of tempting, too, only... I don’t really know what I’d be facing and what the job here would look like exactly.“

„You don’t have to decide that today. If you really think it’s a realistic option, why don’t we talk to Mrs Nakamura and see if you can help out for a few days? That might help you make a decision. And if you end up deciding that you’d rather work in the cafe, after all, that’s absolutely fine, too.“

„Would it really be, Seto?“ asked Joey anxiously, and Seto replied lovingly, „Absolutely. I want you to be happy, Joey, and I will always support you in whatever makes you happy. Whatever it may be. You should know that by now, you idiot.“

Joey laughed and immediately infected Seto with it. They kissed one last time before going back into the building to discuss their idea with the orphanage manager. And Seto knew that if Joey was happy, he was happy - and whichever direction Joey took, he would follow, even if it was the other side of the world.


	26. Rescue me... from graduation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> All The Things You Are - Tony Bennett, Bill Charlap
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/7dW9KIZvcQJnjQb3vy5Q6i?si=HSO7u2v0TkSJeS5hZaV5ZQ  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLF1VMYuBi8
> 
> Time and again I longed for adventure,  
> Something to make my heart beat the faster.  
> What did I long for? I never really knew.  
> Finding your love I found my adventure,  
> Touching your hand, my heart beats the faster,  
> All that I want in all of this world is you.
> 
> ~~~~

The last few weeks had gone by in a blink of an eye, if only because Joey had worked much more than he normally would have. As usual, he had his job at the cafe, but at the same time, he had also been working at the orphanage. Mrs Nakamura had been immediately enthusiastic about the idea because, like Seto, she had been impressed by how quickly Joey had managed to gain the children’s trust. She had explained that even new staff members who already had a lot of experience working with children didn’t connect with them that quickly.

It was funny because Joey didn’t really understand why it had worked for him straight away. The term ‚natural talent‘, which both Seto and the orphanage manager used to describe this state of things, sounded somehow arrogant to Joey’s ears. It just didn’t really fit him in some way, even though it was probably the term that could still describe it most accurately. But in the end, the ‚why‘ wasn’t relevant at all - what was important was that it was like that at all, since it not only made his work easier but also much more pleasant. And he could no longer deny that he had a lot of fun after his first day there.

He remembered that he had been more than excited before his first day because he had not really known what to expect. As always, when nervousness threatened to take over, Joey could count on Seto to take him in his arms and calm him down, and it didn’t fail to have its effect in this particular case either. And as soon as the doors of the orphanage opened, he was greeted so warmly by Mrs Nakamura, other staff, but also children he had already met on his first visit, that all tension was immediately blown away. He couldn’t help it, he instantly felt at home.

In the weeks that followed, he gained insights behind the scenes of the orphanage that he had not had during their first, brief visit. He hadn’t given it much thought before, but running such an orphanage meant an enormous amount of work. It was not only the children who needed to be kept busy and supervised, there were also countless administrative tasks to be taken care of. These included, among many other things, preparing and ordering food, buying clothes and replacing furniture when, for example, a bed had broken through again after a child had played too much on it - and that really happened more often than outsiders might suspect. In addition, the garden had to be maintained, and even though there was, of course, a gardener for most of the tasks, one always had to keep an eye on it and set priorities.

And then, there was the issue of budgeting and funding. During his time there, Mrs Nakamura really gave Joey a complete overview of all the operations and activities at the orphanage, even though it was clear that Joey would not work equally in every area should he choose to work there. That would also be difficult for a single person to do. Nevertheless, she granted him insights even into such sensitive areas. That was also when he had learned how much Seto actually contributed to the funding and how his money was spent.

Joey had not forgotten how incredibly surprised and amazed he had been when he had seen the sum. Compared to all the other donors, Seto was definitely the most generous of them all, it had been easy to see. But even without making the comparison, the amount of money he could see on the screen was not insignificant in itself. He had already known how important this orphanage was to Seto, for obvious reasons, but this topped it all off.

But despite all the work that went on in the background, Joey still spent most of his time with the children. He had to admit that this was also the part that brought him the most fun and joy. It warmed his heart every time one of them laughed, or when Joey managed to comfort one when it had fallen down or had been sad for reasons initially unknown to him. Despite how many children the orphanage housed, Joey was still able to connect with each one, though not always equally deeply. He learned more about the backgrounds of why they had come to the orphanage in the first place, and they could not have been more diverse. There were also significant differences in age, education and general background, but that only made it more exciting for Joey.

One child, in particular, had caught Joey’s eye. It was a girl, about twelve years old, and she was always alone. She was pretty much the only one who had always blocked Joey and never let anyone or anything else get close to her. She hadn’t even told him her name as a greeting, just stared at him grimly, eyes shaped into slits. Mrs Nakamura hadn’t been much help either - she had opened up to him that the girl hadn’t said a word since she had come to the orphanage alone about half a year ago. Nothing else was known about her, she had just appeared out of nowhere, and when asked if she still had parents or other relatives, she had only shaken her head. That was all they had been able to find out about her so far.

And maybe that was exactly what fascinated Joey so much about her. He desperately wanted to know more about her, but all the other employees had tried pretty much everything already. She was a hard nut to crack. Nevertheless, Joey couldn’t help but take up the challenge - possibly precisely because it seemed so insurmountable.

At first, he had simply tried to talk to her, but she always seemed disinterested and didn’t seem to listen at all. Whenever he saw her reading a book, he would research its contents so that he could talk to her about it the next time, and whenever he made an attempt in that direction, she would throw it in the corner and get out another one, regardless of whether she had finished reading it yet. He had even brought her one once, by an author she obviously liked because she had already held a few books of his in her hands, but she hadn’t accepted the gift and had run away instead, leaving Joey very confused.

He just couldn’t figure her out. Even the other staff had already advised him to just let her be, to just leave her alone if that was obviously what she wanted, but Joey was getting the feeling that that wasn’t actually the case. That she wanted, yes, needed the contact, but just couldn’t let it happen. No one knew what she had experienced before she came to the orphanage because she hadn’t confided in anyone yet, and Joey hadn’t seen fit to give up. So he had kept trying, over and over again. He had tried to get through to her somehow by playing games with her or trying to persuade her to watch a movie with him.

Until he had to realise at some point that it was futile. It had looked pretty hopeless because he had really tried everything that had come to his mind. Maybe that was why he had failed? Had he perhaps forced himself on her too much after all?

Shortly before his work was to end there and he was to make a decision whether or not he would keep working in the orphanage, he had observed her again, holed up in a corner of the large common room, reading her book. Joey had been standing some distance away, but still, he had been able to notice how incredibly fascinated she must have been by its contents. With shining eyes, she had literally absorbed the words and just could not turn the pages fast enough. Her cheeks had been rosy and for the umpteenth time, Joey had wished he could understand what was going on inside her. But he had known that he didn’t have much time left and it was unlikely that they would get closer in the short time they had.

With a sigh, he had pushed himself off the wall he had been standing against and walked over to her. She seemed to have noticed him because her eyes had gone from the lines of the book to him for a tiny moment, but the very next moment, she had averted her gaze again. Joey had long since realised by then that he was probably mistaken. Everything had spoken against his theory that she herself also wanted contact with other people. Perhaps it had simply been his own wishful thinking that he had projected onto her. Whatever the reason had been for her not wanting to communicate, he had accepted and respected it in the end.

And as he had been sitting next to her, he had suddenly felt the need to give her a few last words in case he decided to work at the cafe instead of the orphanage. So he had said to her, „Hey, don’t worry, I won’t try to get you to do anything with me again. It’s okay if you don’t want to, really. Everybody is different and I’m sure you have your own reasons why you don’t want to talk to me. You know, I’ve been through a lot in my life too. My dad was... let’s just say he wasn’t very nice to me. And it took me a long time to get over it. But then, I met a person through whom I got over exactly that, even though I always thought I would never be able to get over it. What I’m saying is that I can understand not wanting to let anyone get close to you. I did exactly the same thing, for a very, very long time in fact, and even though I don’t know your exact motivations, I can understand you.“

Out of the corner of his eye, he had been able to see her eyeing him from the side, but still, she hadn’t said a word. Joey had known he wouldn’t be able to change that, and that had been perfectly okay. So he had given her another friendly smile and then left again, leaving her to her book.

A few days later, the day had come that marked the end of his work in the orphanage. At that time, he had not yet decided which job he would take. The pay was about the same, and for the most part, the other general conditions did not differ either. So it had been more a decision about what his heart beat a little bit more for.

As a farewell, he had said a few words to the children who had gathered in the common room. It had been a little difficult for him because he had not yet known whether he would come back, and he had grown fond of all the children. And the fact that he hadn’t been able to get through to this one special girl, yes, that had bugged him a bit, but that was the way it was, and there hadn’t been anything more he hadn’t tried.

And just as he had bowed to say a polite goodbye, a voice suddenly rang out, „Are you coming back?“

Joey had really spoken to every child in the past few weeks, but when he had heard that voice, he hadn’t been able to assign it to one of them. And when it became clear who this voice belonged to, it also became clear why - because it was that of the girl he had never once heard speak.

At that moment, he didn’t seem to be the only one in the room who was surprised. Therefore, at first, he had not been able to say anything at all, had only been able to observe how she had stepped a few steps out of the crowd and had looked at him with a confident, almost demanding look. But then, the scales had fallen from his eyes - it had clearly been a sign of trust. Joey could only guess what it was, but he thought it probably had something to do with what he had said to her last. Perhaps he had really got to the heart of the matter with what he had said and revealed about himself. Whatever it had been, it had made him more than happy at that moment.

A smile had come to his lips afterwards before he had replied, „Would you like me to come back?“

She had said nothing more, but her vigorous nodding had spoken a clear language. Joey’s smile had intensified a little more and he had given her a barely perceptible nod. With that, his decision had been more than clear - he had signed his employment contract at the orphanage that very day.

When he had revealed this to his boss in the cafe, he had been a little sad about it, but he could also understand Joey’s decision. Joey would still be working at the cafe until the prom before he would then start working full time at the orphanage, so it had not been an immediate goodbye. And yet, the blond could feel that he had made the absolute right decision. 

Yes, he had always liked his work at the cafe, and he would probably still be incredibly happy working there today. But working with the children at the orphanage gave him something more, as if it was preordained. Maybe he really was the natural talent they all always wanted him to be. And even if he still didn’t quite agree with the choice of words, there was possibly a grain of truth in it.

And now, the day of their graduation had come. That Joey was allowed to sit here at all today was thanks to Seto. To be even more precise: _only_ due to him. Because without him, he would have flunked his final exams for sure. Joey had always been laziness personified, but when he approached important exams, it even got a bit worse. He was perhaps not the most stupid person on the planet, even if he often believed that about himself - and Seto had been on the same front not even a year ago. However, he had no interest at all in learning things he had absolutely no enthusiasm for, and could therefore never really bring himself to do so. And even if he had made a serious effort, his intelligence level was nowhere near that of Yugi, let alone Seto. Joey was not quite that megalomaniac after all.

When Seto had noticed how Joey had vehemently resisted learning, he had pulled out all the stops, and when the blond now remembered this, he could not suppress a grumpy growl.

~~~~

„You... you can’t be serious, Seto.“ Joey looked at his dragon with eyes wide open and mouth agape in shock. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard. Could Seto really be that cruel?

Nonchalantly, Seto put on his shirt while Joey still stood at the entrance to their dressing room, completely horrified. While the brunet deftly pushed the buttons of his shirt through the appropriate holes, he turned to Joey and said, „I’m dead serious, Joey. And if you fail even one single exam, you can expect even harsher consequences.“

Joey’s state of mind swung between absolute bewilderment and sadness at the anticipation of what his next few weeks would look like. His eyes filled with tears, then, he asked Seto, sobbing, „Don’t you love me anymore?“

But the man addressed only laughed lightly as he pulled on his pants and zipped them up. Pulling one corner of his mouth up slightly, he approached Joey and whispered in his ear, „I love you more than anything in the world, Joey. And that’s exactly why I’m doing this. It’s for your own good.“ Then, he kissed him on the temple and disappeared from the dressing room to pack his school things before they would leave for breakfast.

And as Joey’s face slowly wetted with tears, he realised what Seto had just revealed to him: no sex until they had their graduation in the bag. He also didn’t want to imagine what Seto meant by ‚harsher consequences‘, even if he had a slight premonition. If he had to repeat the school year because he couldn’t pass the final exams, then he would probably have to wait even longer for...

No, just _no_. That was not an option. He didn’t know how Seto managed to sound so in control when he made his ‚ _suggestion_ ‘, but Joey was absolutely sure that he actually meant it. And once a Kaiba had set his mind to something, nothing and no one could dissuade him so quickly. It was clear what had to be done now.

With hands clenched into fists, he turned and went to Seto in the living room, who was still packing his school bag. With a determined look and perhaps - _possibly_ \- a slightly too squeaky voice, Joey shouted, „Fine, but you study with me! I’ll pass these stupid exams! And then... And then...!“

Seto braced his hand on his hip and grinned arrogantly at him. „Good boy.“

~~~~

And Joey had studied. Damn it, and how he had. Probably more than he had ever studied in elementary, middle and high school combined, but he couldn’t risk the longer-term consequences of failing the exams. Joey had, of course, tried to seduce Seto every now and then in the meantime, but no chance. He remained as steadfast as the Eiffel Tower, while Joey’s frustration grew immeasurably.

But he had actually managed it. He had come within a hair’s breadth of failing an exam, but passing was passing, wasn’t it? Seto had not specified what grades he had to achieve. Thank goodness, because that would certainly have been a much greater, if not impossible, challenge for Joey.

Joey took another deep breath, then took his seat. It was a beautiful, sunny summer day in June. A light breeze was blowing around his nose and he had a faint smell of freshly baked waffles in his nose. Presumably one of the lower years had set up a stall where they sold them. Classic source of income for graduation parties or school trips, and Joey would probably be the first to order a dozen of them. But first, they would have to get through this ceremony.

They sat in one of the back rows, Seto to his left right next to the aisle and his friends to his right. In front of them, several more rows of chairs had been set up for the students, with the teachers of the graduating classes sitting in the very front. Joey was getting hot under his long black gown, and the tassel on his square graduation hat kept falling in his face due to the shallow wind. When this happened to him for the millionth time, Seto laughed beside him, grabbed the tassel and put it back in the right position so that it now hung correctly to the left of Joey’s head again. The only question was how long it would last this time. After Seto had finished this little self-imposed task, he let his hand slide over Joey’s cheek and looked dreamily into his eyes. Joey was now looking at him too. Seto’s eyes were lightly illuminated by the sun and shone like sparkling sapphires. The wind blew the strands that hung in his forehead slightly in all directions, making him look younger somehow. Not necessarily childlike, just... gentler. Joey pressed towards the touch on his cheek and closed his eyes for a fleeting moment as he felt the corners of his mouth move up a little and he sighed happily. When Seto removed his hand from his cheek again, Joey opened his eyes once more. He immediately missed the feel of him against his skin, so he reached out and clasped his hand with his, stroking his fingers lightly over it. Seto intertwined their fingers, and at that very moment, they became aware of voices from the stage that had been set up for the speakers and the ceremony, so they now turned their gazes forward but did not break away from each other.

First, the president of the student council would say a few words, and he could see her getting into position as the principal announced her. After a brief round of applause, which Joey and Seto skipped because neither wanted to release the touch of their hands, she stepped up to the microphone and cleared her throat. She placed her notepad on the lectern, straightened up and then began her speech.

„Dear classmates, I don’t really want to say too many words because you will hear more than enough speeches today anyway.“ Short laughter from the audience, then she continued. „But I would like to say one thing: thank you. Thank you for three exciting, wonderful, sometimes challenging years. It certainly wasn’t always easy, we each had our own battles to fight. But, and I can only speak for myself here: For me, it was also three years spent together with people who were either already friends, since elementary or middle school, or who have become so. And I can well imagine that you, too, have these people in your life whom you did not even know three years ago and who are now a part of your life as a matter of course. Wherever the winds will carry us, I wish that this strong bond of friendship will last beyond. For it is these people by our side that have made these three years so special.“

Joey felt Seto strengthen the handshake, and he could clearly feel the butterflies in his stomach again. She was quite right in what she said. He hadn’t really seen it before, or hadn’t wanted to see it, but listening to himself now, he knew that he had always liked going to school. Because he could meet his friends there, and especially Yugi, Tristan and Téa had been a special support to him in the last years, even if he had kept many of his secrets hidden from them for a long time. But they had still given him strength, at least for quite a long time. He glanced over at them briefly and could see that they were now all looking at each other and probably having exactly the same thoughts right now. He was glad that they would all be staying around, even if Yugi would be travelling a lot due to the tournaments and Téa would be very busy at university, but nothing could shake their friendship that quickly anyway. Not after what they had been through together.

Then, he looked to his left and registered Seto fixing him with his eyes as well, his gaze soft and warm. Yes, his friends meant everything to him, but Seto was so much more to him. He had rescued him, time and time again, and Joey knew he would never let him fall. And he was quite sure that their bond could never be severed either. He would do anything for that.

He was abruptly interrupted in his thoughts as the president of the student council continued her speech. „I would like to congratulate all of us for being here today. You only graduate once in your life, this day will be one of the most significant in our lives and hopefully, we will all be able to look back on it positively for a very long time. This day paves the way for our future. So far, this path has probably looked pretty similar for all of us. Elementary school, middle school, high school. From now on, everyone will go their own way, pursue their own interests. But no matter what happens - we have walked this path together, and that will bind us together forever. I wish you all every success for the future, whatever it may hold for you.“

With these words, she bowed politely and left the stage to thunderous applause to take her place in one of the front rows again. Joey briefly reviewed the speech in his mind and had to acknowledge that it had actually been really good. From now on, he would go his own way, with a job that could offer him real meaning, and at the same time, he knew exactly that the connection to his friends and not least to Seto would always exist. Although he still had to admit that he would miss the conversations together in the canteen, which had been his highlight of the school day, especially since Seto had been part of their group, even though he would never admit that. A soft smile came to his lips - well, then they would find another regular, albeit not daily, meeting place, and they still had the prom ahead of them, where they could celebrate the last three years together.

At that moment, the principal stepped up to the microphone. „Thank you very much for that wonderful speech. Before we come to handing out all your diplomas, we would first like to honour the year’s best student and also give him a chance to say a few words. So without further ado, we would now like to invite you to the stage, Mr Kaiba.“

Joey gave Seto’s hand another firm squeeze and smiled brightly at him. He had already known that he would be honoured, and Seto had, after all, prepared a speech, although unlike the student council’s president, he had not written it down. Of course not, he was Seto Kaiba after all, who not only graduated from high school with top grades but also managed to do pretty much everything else with ease. Joey admired him a lot for that and was curious to see what kind of speech he had prepared.

Only for a split second did Seto return the smile, someone other than Joey would hardly have noticed. Then, he made his way towards the stage with Joey’s gaze glued to his back the whole way there.

Joey saw Seto being handed his diploma and shaking hands with the principal before stepping up to the microphone. He looked composed as always, completely emotionless, there wasn’t even a tiny bit of nervousness on him. In thought, Joey shrugged his shoulders - presumably, nothing could throw Seto off his game so quickly, and speaking in front of people was part of his job. Who, if not he, would be able to master that just like that?

When Seto began to speak, the entire air was filled with his voice and Joey held his breath for a moment, goosebumps all over.

„Many thanks to the principal for this honour, and many thanks also to the previous speaker. I too will try to be brief. I would like to join our student council’s president - the three years in high school are certainly very special years, for many reasons. However, I would like to narrow that down a bit - because, from my personal point of view, it’s the last year, the final year, that decides which path we will take in the future.“

At that moment, Seto raised his head a little more, and Joey could see two blue eyes fixing on him. God. He instantly got hot and cold and his cheeks started to glow. The way he was staring at him was nothing out of the ordinary for anyone else. They were probably not even aware of the fact that Seto was just looking at him. But Joey could tell, without a doubt - that look Seto was giving him was so... like he was about to eat him up, but at the same time warm and loving. There were so many emotions that Joey almost couldn’t withstand his gaze but couldn’t avert it either. It was like hypnosis, and while Seto held the pendulum tightly in his hands, slowly swinging it back and forth, Joey followed it rigorously with his eyes, lost in the maelstrom of his subsequent words.

Seto took one deep breath, then continued his speech. „When the first few months of senior year begin, you start wondering what comes after that. You make plans, choose your courses wisely, for exactly what you want your future to be. You have to manage your time a little better to achieve your goals for senior year and everything that follows. It takes more discipline and perseverance, but what always resonates is the hope that it will all pay off in the end.“

He faltered for a moment - and could Joey see the corners of Seto’s mouth twitching slightly?

„What I had to find out in my last year at school, though, is that you can plan as much as you want - in the end, everything turns out differently than you think.“ Joey found it hard to interpret Seto’s look now, and his words anyway. He didn’t know exactly whether he meant it positively or negatively now. After all, Seto was very attached to his plans, and Joey could only vaguely guess how much he must have messed them up, even if not willingly - at least not at the beginning. But in the end, it was all right the way it was - or did Seto have a different view on it?

And while Joey had to chew on his uncertain thoughts and was inwardly very annoyed at his recurring self-doubt, he continued to follow the movements of Seto’s lips spellbound as he continued to speak.

„Will this be the last time in our lives that plans change? I think not. Is it surprising that we are questioning our plans from this year? Probably not either, no. Because if we’re honest: Most of us have never been in the position of having to make plans for our future at all. We have followed the school path that was laid out for us, and now that we are at the end of this long path, we are looking in different directions and have to make decisions that we did not have to make before. Maybe it’s a bit easier for me personally because I started running a company and making important decisions at a very early age, but I too have had to experience the impact that changes in plans can have.“

As Seto paused for a moment, Joey could hear the blood rushing in his ears and his heartbeat accelerated a little more. He couldn’t wait to hear Seto’s next sentences. Hearing his strong, deep voice, the effect of which was amplified once more by the microphone, was intoxicating and he was addicted to every further word that would glide across his beautiful lips. The fact that he hadn’t really been allowed to touch him for weeks now probably just did the rest.

„I, for one, have learned in this last school year that change can also be something positive. That it doesn’t have to be something to be afraid of. Because it was precisely these changes that made my final year a year I will never forget. When you think of change, you often think of instability, a break in your life that pulls the rug out from under you. At least that has always been my view. But for me personally, the changes in the last year have given me more stability than I ever thought I could have.“

At that moment, Seto’s gaze became even more intense, and Joey knew that his next words were directed solely at him. „And for that, I am really damn grateful.“

Joey felt a warm liquid flow down his cheeks, and as he slid his hands half absently over them, he realised they were his own tears. Seto’s look spoke volumes. That, coupled with his last words, was his way of saying ‚I love you‘ without him even beginning to mouth the words. And how he had changed, Joey could now see that in plain sight too. To stand here in front of all the students and say he was grateful for something that didn’t exactly involve his company was something he would never have done a year ago, in fact. But this senior year had changed so much - for both of them. And Joey, too, couldn’t help but think that those changes had given him a consistency that had never existed in his life before.

Seto’s last words - probably a few words of thanks to the teachers, the school administration and also a last thank you for having been awarded the best student of the year - Joey only perceived in a muffled way and behind tear-veiled eyes. Much too slowly, Seto came back to him and sat down in his seat, so that Joey had trouble not jumping up halfway through and frantically falling around his neck. He had barely managed to hold himself back, and when Seto finally sat next to him again, he felt Seto’s hands on his cheeks.

„I love you,“ were the only words Joey managed to get out in a choppy whisper and sob, and no one outside their own cosmos could have heard it. Seto hesitated for a moment, not quite knowing how to respond, but Joey couldn’t wait. Very slowly, he covered the distance between their lips and kissed his dragon, and even though they had avoided it in public so far, he just couldn’t hold back. And it felt insanely good, and Joey didn’t care now whether they could be seen doing it or not. It had been no secret for some time that they were together anyway.

Afterwards, all the students were called up one by one and the diplomas were handed out. When the principal handed Joey his, he was actually a little proud of himself. If Seto hadn’t pushed him so hard the last few weeks, this day could have been very different for him.

When he stepped off the stage again, the crowd had already dispersed, hardly anyone was sitting in their chair - only logical, actually, since the students were called by alphabet, and since Joey’s last name began with a ‚W‘, he was one of the last students to receive his diploma.

Seto was waiting for him under a shady tree, leaning casually against it, and when he was only a few feet away, he held out his arms to Joey. The blond removed his graduation hat for a moment, letting Seto pull him into a hug and snuggle against his chest, which rose and fell evenly. Hands still on his hips, Joey was now looking directly at him, and Seto’s mouth curled in a happy smile.

He stroked Joey’s hair gently as he said, „I’m so proud of you, my puppy.“ Joey had to laugh briefly, a little in embarrassment but also in amusement. „Shouldn’t I be more proud of you? After all, it’s _me_ who’s dating the most intelligent person in the year, if not the whole school.“

The corners of Seto’s mouth moved up a little more, but he didn’t interrupt the caresses. „Can’t we both just be proud of each other?“ Joey then took one of Seto’s hands and intertwined their fingers. „But why should you be proud of me? After all, I only managed to graduate from school by the skin of my teeth too, and certainly only because you more or less pushed me to it. While I’m with the smartest person on earth, you’re with the dumbest.“

Joey had unconsciously lowered his head so that his gaze was now on Seto’s shoes. But then, he felt one of Seto’s long fingers on his chin, lifting his gaze again, and when he looked back up into the brunet’s face, the amorous smile was still there, which reassured Joey a little.

„Grades aren’t everything, my puppy. And you did graduate after all, didn’t you? Surely not everyone can say that about themselves.“ He gently stroked a strand behind Joey’s ear, and his adorable smile intensified a little more before he said, „You know what you have that so many don’t?“

Tentatively, Joey moved his head from left to right, causing Seto to laugh briefly. The brunet moved closer to him, so close that the tips of their noses were now almost touching. Then, he explained, „Emotional intelligence. More than I have been able to detect in any other human being so far. And so I’m also with the most intelligent person on the planet.“

For a few seconds, Joey found it difficult to breathe, and again, his vision blurred before his eyes. Their ensuing kiss was so much more than a touch - it was the union of two people who were made for each other. Like two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly into each other. Like the moment when the sun joined the night and turned the sky pink-orange. Like chocolate sauce on vanilla ice cream. And even as they joined his friends and Grandpa Muto busily snapped pictures of them as they threw their graduation hats into the air, he could feel that love in every single cell, in every pore of his body.


	27. Rescue me... from prom night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Important note: The publishing schedule for the remaining chapters (the story will end somewhere between 35-40 chapters) will change to once a week with immediate effect. That means I'll be publishing a new chapter every Friday!
> 
> ~~~~
> 
> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> Feels Like You - Faime
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/21UPL4RXZPmg2TZ2DgWADj?si=hFFFnalVQQirEe1ZTP0RRg  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDYuTDlu2XI
> 
> I'll leave out the lyrics for now - this chapter is actually something like a songfic xD That means the lyrics will be actively included in this chapter :)
> 
> ~~~~

Lost in thought, Joey rummaged through the shirts in their dressing room. He just couldn’t decide on a colour. Maybe blue? No, he would want to persuade Seto to wear blue, preferably the dark blue shirt Joey loved so much on him. Red? No, too aggressive, and somehow, he felt the colour didn’t suit him. Black? No way, he was going to prom, not a funeral! White? Hmm, maybe, but wasn’t that a bit boring?

„Still not decided, huh?“ He could clearly hear Seto’s amusement in his voice but didn’t turn to him because he was still holding far too many hangers. Why was he having such a hard time choosing? It wasn’t as if he had never had to choose a shirt for a specific occasion before. But the prom was very special to him because it marked the end of a very long period of his life, a phase that couldn’t have been more extraordinary, especially in the last few months. And despite the many ups and downs, they had been one thing above all: beautiful. And Joey wanted this last day of his school career to be just as perfect as the last few months, starting with an outfit that would do justice to the occasion.

  
Suddenly, he felt Seto’s hands on his naked torso, hugging him from behind. They were cold but warmed quickly under the heat of Joey’s skin. Tenderly, he stroked his belly and rested his head on Joey’s shoulder, caressing his neck with soft kisses. His hair, still a little damp from the shower, tickled the blond’s ear and he couldn’t help a short giggle. As if automatically, the happy smile on his lips intensified. He hung the hangers back on the bar and then put one hand on the back of Seto’s head, pulling him even closer, just enjoying his closeness. The other hand, he placed over Seto’s, still just above his belly button. The brunet was also still shirtless and at the feel of Seto’s bare skin against his, a heated tingling spread all over.

He heard Seto sigh softly in his ear, and when he bit his earlobe gently, the atmosphere changed abruptly. Joey wanted to turn to him, but he wouldn’t let him. So instead, he pressed his body even harder against Seto’s, wanting to feel him even closer to him. The brunet laughed briefly - he was obviously all too aware of the effect all this was having on Joey, knew his every vulnerability all too well. And Joey enjoyed it, was even more sensitive than usual - due to the mere fact that they hadn’t touched each other intimately in the last few weeks. But the blond knew that he wouldn’t have to do without it for much longer, after all, they had finished the graduation ceremony yesterday and with that, the whole point of the ‚sex ban‘ was gone. It was actually surprising that they hadn’t already jumped each other last night, but they had been out late with his friends and had just fallen flat in bed due to all the excitement of the day, as soon as they had returned home. But Joey had a sneaking suspicion that Seto had also reached his limit.

With deft movements, Seto now manoeuvred him across the room, and although Joey was surprised and didn’t really know what the taller one was up to, he couldn’t resist because he was just completely addicted to him and already totally intoxicated. Not that he wanted to fight back, of course.

„Open your eyes, Joey. Look how beautiful you are.“ Joey, who had instinctively closed his eyes to feel all the impressions even more strongly, now opened them again - and saw himself in a life-size mirror. Astonished, he widened his eyes even more, while Seto’s face was very close to his, his lips still on Joey’s ear, and his hands wandering up and down Joey’s naked torso. An embarrassed blush settled softly on Joey’s cheeks. Watching himself and the effects of what Seto’s touches were doing to him was definitely new, and he didn’t know exactly what to make of it. But still, all he could do was let it happen.

He heard him purring in his ear, then, Seto whispered, „See? That’s what I always see. When your breathing quickens. When your cheeks turn red. When your eyes start to flicker and you can only stop them with a lot of effort. When a little saliva leaks out of your mouth. As you become more and more aroused. I’ll never get enough of you, Joey.“

The blond turned his head in the direction the voice came from, and Seto moved his face forward a little more so their lips could gently meet. Joey moaned when he felt Seto’s warm mouth on his and automatically opened his lips to allow his tongue to enter. He felt an uncontrollable fire spreading inside him, and each additional touch from Seto was like an extra drop of oil that made it blaze even more.

As they kissed more and more passionately, Seto’s hand went to Joey’s waistband. He let his fingers slip lightly underneath, moving them from left to right and back again, eliciting another gasp from Joey. He pressed his bottom even closer to Seto’s front, couldn’t feel him tight enough against him - when suddenly, they heard a loud noise and parted, startled.

It took Joey a few seconds to regain his bearings. Then, he realised that it was his phone that was making such a noise. And a few more moments later, he remembered that he had set an alarm so that they wouldn’t be late for the prom. Inwardly, he cursed himself for it now and turned the alarm off, annoyed, before stepping back to Seto, but the magic of the moment had dissipated pretty quickly. Besides, they’d have to leave soon anyway and wouldn’t have enough time. Joey let out a sigh, which elicited an amused grin from Seto. He grabbed the white shirt and quickly put it on - he didn’t have enough time now to think about what to wear anyway, and white always worked. Seto now put on his shirt too - the dark blue one, and Joey had to pull himself together badly not to drool on the shirt he had just put on - and together, they left their apartment.

The festival hall was on the other side of town, about a 30-minute drive from the Kaiba mansion. When Joey got out of the limo, he was amazed. The building was surrounded by a large park, and they seemed to be on some kind of mountain or elevation, so you got a breathtaking view of the whole city from up here. A red carpet had been rolled out in front of the hall itself, and Joey could see several photographers taking pictures of all the arriving guests. Soft music could already be heard from inside the hall, albeit still very discreetly.

He took Seto’s hand, who looked surprised for a moment, but then returned the handshake and gave Joey a tentative smile. Together they walked towards the festival hall. On the way there, numerous photos were taken of them, in which Joey had a silly grin on his lips each time and Seto seemed rather aloof again.

No sooner had they entered the premises than they saw Joey’s friends standing in a circle, waving happily at them. They joined them and Joey greeted the group good-humouredly, while Seto only gave them a cool nod. Well, it was better than nothing, at least he was refraining from the insulting remarks lately. For Seto Kaiba, that was already a huge step forward. Besides, he was still holding Joey’s hand tightly, which only added to the blond’s good mood.

After another quick glance at the group, Joey asked, „Hey, am I the only one here with a date?“ Seto’s face immediately fell at the obvious display of affection. Joey was very amused but also a bit confused - after all, Seto did that too, even in public, even if Joey had to admit that the brunet decided for himself in such moments and usually did it much more subtly. And when Joey said something like that out of the blue, Seto seemed shocked at first, but immediately regained his composure - just like this time, but Joey still couldn’t suppress a laugh.

Téa propped herself up on Yugi’s shoulders as she explained, „So I’m here with Yugi.“ Her face was adorned with a broad grin, while Yugi looked more like he wanted to sink into the ground in shame. Joey looked back and forth between the two of them, wondering if there was something he had missed. He didn’t have much time to think about it, though, because out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tristan shrug his shoulders and then say, „I’m here with someone from another class.“

„What, with who? What’s her name? Who is she? How do you know each other?“ Immediately, Joey curiously bombarded Tristan with his questions, seeming to overwhelm him moderately. Joey had obviously only had eyes for Seto for the past few months and had totally tuned out what was going on in his friends‘ lives. He planned to pump them for more details tonight and so he hopefully would be up to date again afterwards.

Tristan glanced uncertainly to the side - and did a slight blush appear on his cheeks? Since when had he been so shy? Joey could see that he must really like this woman and that made him happy. It was nice to see that his friends also found someone who made them happy.

Tristan hadn’t answered yet when Joey continued, „It’s okay, Tristan. Let’s just talk about it later over dinner. I feel like I’ve missed a lot of things within the last few months.“ And as he glanced again at Yugi and Téa, the group joined in a laugh, only Seto holding back as usual.

As the group made their way to their table, Joey could make out Mitsuki from a distance, who turned around at the same moment. A friendly smile settled on her lips, and when she pointed her head at the man at her side, Joey returned it. In fact, the two had more or less become friends over the past few weeks, at least exchanging considerably more words with each other. Seto still got jealous when he spoke to her, and seeing him act so irrationally because of his emotions amused Joey immensely. But it was also a wonderful gesture, and deep in his heart, Seto knew he would never have any serious competition, Joey was quite sure of that.

The group took their seats at their table, and after a few speeches from the teachers and the principal, the buffet was opened. While they ate, and Joey, of course, stuffed far too much into his mouth at the same time, they talked about everything that had happened and that Joey had obviously not noticed. He learned that Téa had been able to get a spot at a university nearby thanks to Yugi’s study help, and it was quite obvious that they had become closer during their study meetings. Joey smiled slightly because Yugi was blushing again, while Téa seemed really damn happy. They certainly didn’t reveal everything, and Joey would leave it entirely up to them how much they told. Just like they had always done with himself.

Tristan introduced them to Mizumi, who was also sitting at the table and was his companion from the other class. Even if Joey wasn’t attracted to the female sex - or anyone else who wasn’t Seto really - it could also be objectively stated that Mizumi was very pretty. She had long, slightly wavy blonde hair and brown eyes, so it wasn’t really hard for Joey to understand what Tristan might see in her. She also seemed incredibly likeable, infecting the whole group with her laughter. Tristan told them that they had met at the school festival - the one with the bonfire - and the memory of that evening caught Joey up, setting off a fiery tingle throughout his body.

At some point, when the dinner was over, the music slowly started to get louder. Joey knew that Seto wouldn’t follow him onto the dance floor and would wait at the bar instead, but he was still looking forward to hitting the dance floor with his friends and celebrating their graduation appropriately. And as the group joined the crowd of people already dancing, Joey couldn’t have been happier than at this moment, which marked the perfect end to a year he couldn’t have imagined more beautiful in his wildest dreams.

~~~~

Seto sipped his drink lost in thought as he watched his blonde whirlwind on the dance floor. The lights in the hall had been dimmed, but it was still not difficult for Seto to spot Joey. He simply outshone everything and everyone, and with his glossy hair and shining golden eyes, he would be able to notice him from any distance. And Seto knew he would never be able to take his eyes off him even if he tried - not that he ever seriously intended to.

It was as if he was only mutedly aware of everything else except Joey. As if his puppy were the sun, and he was the earth, which ceaselessly drew its circles around him, magically attracted to him. It was like a natural cycle that could not be interrupted. He saw nothing but him.

Every now and then, Joey would give him a quick glance, if only for a split second. And every single time, it had the same effect: Seto’s heart started to race and he couldn’t breathe for a moment. He wondered if it showed on his face. He hoped not because he wanted it to be exclusively Joey who would ever see him like this. He was the only one he would ever let get that close. But he was also the only one who could make him feel all this.

While Seto took another sip of his drink, he didn’t take his eyes off Joey. He was dancing exuberantly with his friends and Seto could see his hairline slowly getting wet with sweat. It was intoxicating to watch him like this. Joey was so beautiful that it took Seto’s breath away even when he wasn’t looking directly at him. But the blond was much more than that. Seto began to think of adjectives that could best describe him, but it was hard to find the right words. The brunet eyed him up and down from a distance and couldn’t help but put ‚sexy‘ at the top of the list. And the list kept filling up the longer he thought about it: stunning, hot, fascinating, brave, passionate, divine. In his mind, he continued this list, knowing all too well that there would never be an end because so many words that could do Joey justice and fully describe him had not yet been invented.

Seto gave a barely perceptible sigh. He had an irrepressible desire to just walk over to him, pull him close and kiss him with a passion that left no doubt that he belonged only to him. More than once had he noticed that others were looking at him too, especially the women in their class. And each time, it annoyed him to an indescribable degree. How dare they think they had the right to stare at his puppy like that? Especially that Mitsuki got on his nerves. And the fact that she had managed to make friends with Joey, only more so.

Seto grumbled, knowing how irrational his jealousy was. He was well aware that Joey would not leave him, at least not unless Seto gave him a valid reason to do so. For he had never returned the stares until now. And Seto had to do everything to keep it that way, to keep him looking only at him. Because he was the only one Joey ever had to look at.

He heard Joey laughing and noticed him moving away from the group of friends to meet him, grinning. Then, standing right next to him at the bar, he could immediately feel the heat radiating from Joey’s body. The blond ordered a cold Coke as a lone drop of sweat ran down his temple. Joey accepted the cold glass and under the warmth of his hands, the ice cubes began to crackle. He stirred the straw around in the glass a few times - for whatever reason he felt necessary - and then put it to his lips.

Seto had to swallow. For a tiny moment, Joey closed his eyes and sucked lightly on the straw to let the liquid flow into his mouth. Seto saw Joey’s mouth fill a little, his lips moisten slightly, and then, he swallowed the Coke. God. Had it always looked so sensual when Joey drank? Or had their abstinence of the last few weeks just done the rest?

Joey opened his eyes as if in slow motion - or did it just seem that way to Seto? - as he slowly let the straw slide over his lips and out of his mouth. He looked directly at Seto now as he ran his tongue over his lips. God, what the brunet would give right now to be able to touch them with his own tongue. Gently licking over them, making Joey moan slightly.

His heartbeat quickened enormously, as did his breathing, and he could see in Joey’s eyes that he wasn’t really feeling any different. The blond took his hand and Seto noticed how hot it was, and the brunet was sure it wasn’t from dancing alone. Joey’s eyes spoke a different language.

Joey’s face came closer to his as he started to talk. „Shall we go outside for a minute?“ Joey set his glass down on the counter before pulling Seto outside by the hand. He hadn’t waited for an answer at all, but Seto was still dumbfounded by the heavenly sight he had just been treated to anyway, so he just let it happen.

Joey opened the door to the outside and they were immediately greeted by pleasantly warm air. It was no longer as hot as it had been a few hours earlier. The sun was slowly setting on the horizon, tinting the sky a reddish-orange with a hint of pink. Joey released his hand from Seto and ran up to a viewing platform that offered a magnificent view of the city and the sunset. Seto followed him at a slower pace, still watching his puppy very closely. Saw him push a strand of hair behind his ear, heard him laugh happily, could make out the incessant smile on his lips. Then, standing right next to him and leaning on the railing in front of him as well, Joey immediately put his hand on Seto’s. And so they stayed for a while, looking down on the city together and silently enjoying the last rays of sunshine of the day. Music from the festival hall sounded softly in the background.

At some point, Seto turned to Joey, and continuing without a word, he put his hitherto idle hand to the blond’s cheek, letting his thumb slide over its soft skin. Seto noticed how Joey’s cheeks turned rosy under the touch and the gold in his eyes grew even stronger. The blond opened his lips slightly, and almost unconsciously, their faces came closer, so that Seto could already feel Joey’s breath on his lips.

At that moment, the next song was played, which they could perceive in the background. Joey smiled, now took Seto’s hand from his cheek and held both of his hands tightly as he moved his lips to the lyrics and looked deep into Seto’s eyes.

_Sometimes this feels like an ending of a movie_   
_If I’m just dreaming then I’m hoping I can stay asleep_   
_Know that no matter what_   
_After the closing scene_   
_I’ll be the only one to love you in my dreams_

Seto stared spellbound at Joey’s lips. He intertwined their fingers even tighter, stroking his skin with his thumb. How could it be that he looked so beautiful, especially with the orange rays of the sun gently touching his face? How was it possible that Joey could captivate him like that over and over again without needing a grand gesture?

_Sometimes it feels like I’ll never have enough of you_   
_When you’re around me you make every passing moment new_   
_And when I’m not with you, I know you’ll still agree_   
_I’ll be the only one to love you in my dreams_

Seto let a soft sigh pass his lips, and no sooner had the sound left his body than a mild smile settled on his lips. The song’s lyrics made Seto think - was there even a moment when he wasn’t dreaming of Joey? It didn’t matter if he was with him, lying next to him, or they weren’t in the same room, whether he was awake or asleep. His puppy completely took over his mind - always.

_Oh my, I swear_   
_I can’t stop looking into those eyes_   
_I’m lost, maybe I’m hypnotized_   
_’Cause the way you look with these pink skies_   
_As the sun drifts away tonight_

Seto had to laugh. Why was it that this song felt like it had been written exactly for them, for this exact situation? At that moment, Joey lightly started moving back and forth, and Seto couldn’t help but move in unison with him to the beat of the music. Inwardly, he shook his head at this - Joey clearly had too much power over him if he even managed to make him dance with him now.

_Just hold tight_   
_’Cause when you’re in my arms, it feels right_   
_You know there ain’t no place I’d rather be_   
_Just dance with me all night_   
_’Cause baby nothing else feels like..._

_You, you, nothing feels like you, you_   
_No, there ain’t no place I’d rather be_   
_Just dance with me all night_   
_’Cause baby nothing else feels like you_

Seto felt his heart racing behind his chest and the blood began to rush in his ears. Joey’s smile widened a little more and for a brief moment, he nibbled on his lower lip, which increased Seto’s longing to touch Joey immeasurably.

_I got that feeling like we’re young and it’s a summer fling_   
_But I’ve been hurt enough to know I love you differently_   
_I think I finally found someone who won’t disagree_   
_I’ll be the only one you’ll keep loving in your dreams_

_Oh my, I swear I can’t stop looking into those eyes_   
_I’m lost, maybe I’m hypnotized_   
_’Cause the way you look with these pink skies_   
_As the sun drifts away tonight_

And as he looked Joey in the eye, it was clear that this was more than just a summer fling. Apart from the fact that it hadn’t all started in the summer, his feelings for his puppy were much deeper. More than that, he didn’t think he’d ever felt feelings as intense as he felt for Joey. But he wouldn’t complain - it was just the way it should be, and in Joey’s whole body language, he could tell that he would probably agree with him.

_Just hold tight_   
_’Cause when you’re in my arms it feels right_   
_You know there ain’t no place I’d rather be_   
_Just dance with me all night_   
_’Cause baby nothing else feels like_

_You, you, nothing feels like you, you_   
_No, there ain’t no place I’d rather be_   
_Just dance with me all night_   
_’Cause baby nothing else feels like you_

And while Seto could hear the last notes of the song in the background, he couldn’t wait any longer. He had to touch him, so he gave in to his longing, pulled Joey closer to him and kissed him tenderly, putting all his love for his puppy into this union, and Joey pressed himself against him, sighing. The blond wrapped his arms around him while Seto took his face firmly in both hands and pulled him even closer. His fingertips touched Joey’s soft hair, and as they kissed incessantly, Seto began to run his fingers gently through Joey’s hair. Joey’s lips on his felt so good, and when he ran his tongue over them, he felt the longing for more. As he entered his mouth with his tongue, Joey moaned softly, and Seto still tasted the remnants of Coke in his mouth. One of Joey’s hands slid down his back and came to rest on his waistband. Seto pressed his heated body even harder against Joey’s, and their kiss gained speed and intensity.

As Joey’s fingers moved slowly under Seto’s waistband, the brunet stopped him. He released the kiss and looked into his puppy’s eyes, and it was clear they could go no further. Not here. Not now. But he knew he wouldn’t be able to wait long for that.

And while they were both still trying to get their quickened breathing back under their control to some extent, they heard Tristan shouting from the entrance, „Hey, you gonna spend the whole night out here alone, or what?“ His puppy laughed and gave him one of his adorable smiles before answering Tristan, „Yeah, yeah, we’re coming!“ And as he was about to turn, Seto held him back for a moment. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Tristan had already gone back inside, so they had another minute to themselves. And he just had to take advantage of the moment of them being alone and tell Joey what he had to say.

So he pulled him back into his arms, lifted his head and stroked his back gently as he said the following words to his puppy, „Joey.... I love you. I know I’ve told you that so many times already, but I want you to really understand and know it every second of your life. I love you so much that sometimes, I feel like I’m going to explode. You are the best thing that could ever happen to me. Please, promise to always be with me.“

Joey’s eyes grew moist, and Seto leaned down a little to him, resting his forehead against the blond’s. „Always,“ Joey declared in a shaky, whispering voice. „I’ll always be with you, Seto, I promise. I love you.“ They kissed one last time before walking hand in hand back into the festival hall as night loomed on the horizon, turning the sky purple.

~~~~

Around two in the morning, the group made their way home. Joey mentally reviewed the evening and couldn’t help but feel overjoyed. The friends had danced exuberantly together, the food had been outstanding, and then, that moment with Seto at sunset.... it couldn’t have been more perfect. But Joey knew one thing was missing, and he already had a detailed plan on how to get what he wanted.

Waving and smiling goodbye to his friends, Joey then got into the limo with Seto. He didn’t even bother to fasten his seatbelt, and when Seto noticed, he looked at him in confusion. Joey crossed his arms in front of his body, and when Seto saw the blond greedily running his tongue over his lips, he seemed to understand. Without taking his eyes off him, he rolled up the window to the driver, and the second it clicked into place, Joey threw himself on Seto, sitting on his lap.

Immediately, the blond pulled his dragon into an unrestrained, passionate kiss and directly began undoing the first buttons of his shirt as the vehicle began to move. Seto broke away from his lips and spread hot kisses all over Joey’s neck, causing the blond to moan loudly. He could instantly feel one of Seto’s large hands over his mouth.

„Joey, you have to be quiet if you don’t want the driver to hear you. Do you think you can do that?“

Breathlessly, Joey nodded. He had to do it. He couldn’t wait any longer. He needed everything from Seto, wanted to feel him, everywhere. He looked Seto straight in the eye now, while his tongue licked over the latter’s fingers that were still on his lips. Joey could see the brunet stifling a moan too, and he liked the feeling of teasing him like this. He picked up a few fingers with his mouth, moving his head back and forth slightly as he slid around impatiently on his lap. He could already feel Seto’s arousal quite clearly on his bottom.

Joey opened the remaining buttons of Seto’s shirt with quick movements of his hand and brushed it over his shoulders so that he was now finally sitting in front of him with a naked upper body. He actually wanted to spread kisses all over his bare skin right this second, all the way to his waistband, but he was stopped by Seto before he could even start. With a firm grip, he took Joey’s chin and held him so that he had to look at him. Joey’s rapid breathing and racing heart made it all too obvious how impatient he was, and Seto seemed to be suffering a similar fate, judging by the storm in his eyes.

„We don’t have that much time, Joey. We have maybe twenty-five minutes until we get back to the mansion. So, are you gonna be a good boy and do what I tell you?“

Joey felt saliva running from the corner of his mouth, which he greedily removed with his tongue. He leaned forward, very close to Seto’s ear, then whispered, „Yes, Master. Take me here, Master.“

Joey was pulled back by his hair and engaged in a heated kiss by Seto. With almost too controlled hand movements, Seto then opened Joey’s pants and slid his hand inside. Sensing how aroused Joey already was, the blond could hear him laugh with satisfaction.

Joey had great difficulty suppressing his moan, but he knew there was no other way. Seto moved his hand evenly at his ever-growing erection. With his other hand, he again pulled Joey by the chin so that he could look him straight in the eye. „Come on, Joey. Or does your Master have to voice his desires first?“

God, how he loved the dominant Seto Kaiba. First, Joey got rid of his own clothes, which he threw carelessly onto the seat that was actually intended for him, were he not sitting here completely ecstatic on Seto’s lap. He then knelt in front of Seto and could not remove his pants and boxers fast enough. When he finally sat naked in front of him and gave him that commanding look, Joey couldn’t help but think that Seto was the definition of absolute perfection. Everything about him attracted Joey - his muscular body, the way he looked at him, the controlled and, at the same time, completely intoxicated touches and movements. He was utterly and completely perfect.

Joey’s tongue brushed along Seto’s thigh and he could feel it making his dragon tremble a little. As he continued to caress his leg, one hand wandered to his erection, stroking it gently at first, which only made his body vibrate more. He tightened his grip around Seto’s member and began to move with moderate speed as his mouth moved to his belly. He sat up a little more so that he could get his tongue up to Seto’s nipples, which he sucked on eagerly. He could feel the taller one having to suck in air sharply to keep from moaning out loud. For a brief moment, he looked into Seto’s face and their eyes met. The storm in Seto’s eyes tempted Joey to increase the speed of his hand, causing Seto to bite his lower lip fiercely. And just as Joey was about to kiss his way back down, he was stopped by Seto.

The brunet pulled him up by the hair again so that their faces were now very close. Joey’s mouth left saliva again, but this time, he didn’t stop it with his tongue, enjoying the wet feeling on his lips and chin. All he could focus on now was Seto’s arrogant gaze and the desire for everything he was about to do to him.

„No time for foreplay. You know what to do.“

Now, Joey had to bite his lower lip too, and while he crawled back onto Seto’s lap, the latter pulled out some lube from a more or less well-hidden side flap. Looked like Seto had known exactly what to expect from them both tonight, but Joey certainly wasn’t going to complain about it.

But instead of wetting his own fingers with the gel, he took Joey’s fingers, which surprised him at first. But in the very next moment, that feeling vanished into thin air as Seto declared, „I want you to get yourself ready for me. Do you understand?“

And as he felt the lube spread between and on his fingers, he saw in Seto’s eyes that he would not allow any argument. So Joey nodded and replied, „Yes, Master. Whatever you ask, Master.“

An arrogant grin settled on Seto’s face as Joey guided his fingers to his entrance and took two in at once. It was weird doing it himself, but knowing how intensely Seto was watching him right now only turned him on more. He threw his head back and moved more and more towards his own fingers. When he felt Seto’s thumb against his lips, he moved his head forward again and was pulled into a greedy kiss by his dragon. Stifled, Joey moaned into the kiss as he realised Seto was biting his lower lip, increasing his desire even more. Suddenly, he felt the latter’s hand caressing his bottom, gently at first, then more and more savagely, until finally, he was giving him light strokes. Joey’s arousal only increased under the feeling of slight pain. 

He increased the speed of his two fingers inside him when he suddenly felt one of Seto’s fingers join them to stretch him even further. Surprised, he widened his eyes, but when he looked back into the brunet’s face, at the cocky grin and the slightly parted lips, he couldn’t help but throw himself at him with passion.

But this situation did not last long. With a jerk, Seto removed all their fingers and only a second later, he penetrated Joey with his own erection, which almost made the blond cry out loud, but he just managed to hold back. He braced himself with his hands on the backrest behind Seto to get some more grip. Seto’s thrusts were merciless, but Joey loved the feel of him deep inside him. Their breathing was intermittent and violent as Joey now threw his arms around Seto’s neck and continued to increase the speed.

„Stop!“ said Seto now in his usual authoritative commanding tone. Joey stopped immediately. With a transfigured look, he looked into the brunet’s eyes. He could no longer think clearly, all his thoughts blurred into an indefinable mush. And that was exactly the beauty of this situation - he didn’t have to think. He could let Seto lead him, to ecstatic heights, and there was nothing he wouldn’t do for him.

Seto pushed him up a little, then declared, „Turn around.“ The blond immediately did as he was told, and no sooner had he turned his back on Seto than he was being pushed down by him again, and he was fully penetrating him once more, without Joey being able to give a thought to what was going to happen now.

Seto’s hand was over Joey’s mouth, presumably to stop him from uttering his stifled screams aloud as well. The blond felt his lips very close to his ear, heard his abrupt breath, the almost inaudible moan if he wasn’t so close. And suddenly, he heard him whisper, „It turns you on to do it to yourself when I watch you do it, doesn’t it, puppy?“

Joey was on the verge of losing his mind. If Seto’s hand wasn’t right in front of his mouth, his loud moans would probably have been heard throughout the entire car, but as it was, it was thankfully muffled enough. Seto took one of the blond’s hands - and guided it to Joey’s own erection. Joey let him take the lead at that moment too, noticing how Seto moved both their hands up and down, slowly at first, then faster and faster, while gently biting his earlobe, not losing any of the intensity of his thrusts.

Suddenly, Seto removed his own hand and in a hoarse voice, whispered in his ear, „Do it yourself. Make yourself come.“ Joey let his tongue slide over his lips and over Seto’s hand, which was still right in front of his mouth, and through the tiny spaces in between his fingers, Joey replied, „Yes, Master.“

He was still a little uncomfortable doing all this in front of Seto, but every time he did it, he could see how incredibly hot it made his dragon. And he was addicted to that image of Seto, couldn’t get enough of it. So he complied with his request - or rather, his order - moved his hand on his own erection, and only a few seconds later, he no longer cared that Seto was watching him incessantly because he was intoxicated.

In the same rhythm that Joey sped up his movements, Seto’s thrusts became faster and more intense, and the blond could feel how close Seto was to his climax. When it could only be a matter of seconds, Seto put his hand more firmly over Joey’s lips again, knowing well enough that Joey’s moans were also reaching their very own climax with his orgasm. Joey could hear Seto biting his lower lip, muffling his own moans as he came inside him, and no sooner did he feel Seto’s cum inside him than he came in his own hand, just managing to control himself in a way that the car remained clean.

From the same side flap that Seto had taken the lube out of earlier, he now got wet wipes, and since Joey was still capable of pretty much nothing, he let Seto, who cleaned him and himself of the traces of what they had just experienced. 

Only a few minutes after they had both caught their breath and put on their clothes, the car stopped in front of the mansion. Seto made an effort to get out, but Joey pulled him back by the sleeve once more and pressed a tender kiss to his lips. As he tried to break away, Seto pulled him closer again by the back of his head, and the thought occurred to Joey that they would never be able to leave the car if they couldn’t finally tear themselves away from each other. But Joey was just so addicted to his dragon that it was hard for him, as always, although that was silly, after all, they lived together and thus spent every free second together anyway.

Back in their shared apartment, Seto went to the bathroom first before he rejoined Joey in the bedroom and slumped forward onto the bed. It wasn’t hard to see how exhausted the brunet was, but Joey couldn’t blame him. After all, it was the middle of the night, and especially after what they had just done to each other in the car, Joey could feel the tiredness coming on too.

Still, he took the time for a quick shower, and after brushing his teeth and getting into sleeping clothes afterwards, he went back to Seto, whom he could already hear snoring softly.

Joey let out a quiet laugh. „At least cover yourself properly or you’ll catch a cold,“ he whispered, more to himself than to Seto, and pulled the duvet so that the taller man was now completely covered by it. Joey ran his hand lightly through his brown hair, and even in his sleep, Seto pressed gently against it, even smiling slightly. Joey now slid to Seto under the covers, and immediately, the brunet wrapped his arms around him. Joey couldn’t help but think how cute his dragon was when he slept. Whenever he got so affectionate, Joey’s heart stopped for a beat, because he knew he would forever be the only person who got to see him like that.

And as he watched him slumbering there so peacefully, the song they had heard together at sunset came back into his head.

_I’ll be the only one to love you in my dreams_

Smiling mellowly, he pressed a kiss to Seto’s forehead, and before vanishing into dreamland himself, he whispered softly to him, „Sweet dreams, my dragon.“ And filled with a comforting warmth, triggered by all the intense feelings he harboured for Seto, he too found himself gently drifting off to sleep a few moments later.


	28. Rescue me... Don't leave me!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musical inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> The War - SYML
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/1fNMNJqWaPxUHFpZ0Zl3UA?si=uDaMYAnWS3KhwJBZkUaeAA  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lesVfOrRPIY
> 
> Here stands a man  
> At the bottom of a hole he's made  
> Still sweating from the rush  
> His body tense  
> His hands, they shake  
> Oh this, this is a mad boy
> 
> Here stands a man  
> With a bullet in his clenched right hand  
> Don't push him, son  
> For he's got the power to crush this land  
> Oh hear, hear him cry, boy
> 
> Don't you ever leave me alone  
> My war is over  
> Be my shelter from the storm  
> My war is over  
> I am a sad boy
> 
> ~~~~

Sighing, Seto took the letter opener from the drawer and opened the envelope. When he glanced at its contents, he shook his head and immediately let the paper slide into the wastepaper basket. How many of these had he received this week already? Seto had stopped counting at some point, but he could remember that the layout was always similar, even if the sender had made an obvious effort to disguise it at first.

He had received the first letter just a few days after the press conference in which Joey and he had made their relationship public. For a moment, he had actually been worried, but despite the fact that the number of letters had steadily increased, nothing else had happened so far. So at some point, he had realised that they could only be empty threats. Especially since he had made sure that they were surrounded by enough security staff most of the time anyway.

The content of the letters was invariably marked by homophobic insults against Seto. The savage insults were usually followed by warnings of some kind: in the first letters, only he was threatened. He was ‚advised‘ over and over again to be careful wherever he was going. Then, the threats extended to Joey and Mokuba, whereupon he had again increased the number of security guards. But otherwise, he had kept a very low profile and had not drawn any further consequences.

And the longer he had shown no reaction, at least not outwardly, the more the sender seemed to write himself into a rage. In the beginning, the texts had been quite well structured, in reasonably clear language. But in the meantime, the writings were nothing more than a wild jumble of seemingly completely random words, and the number of expletives had also increased considerably. It seemed to provoke the author that the letters obviously did not have the desired effect, even if Seto did not understand 100 per cent what the author was actually trying to tell him. After all, the letters were pure hate texts that, at least so far, had not contained any demands. Maybe he was just hoping for _any_ kind of reaction, but Seto would not give the author of the letters that satisfaction.

He had managed to keep it a secret from Joey for quite a while. He hadn’t wanted to worry him unnecessarily because Seto himself didn’t believe they would face any serious consequences either. But eventually, Joey had found out - because Seto had left one of the letters open on his desk. He had obviously learned absolutely nothing from the drama with the folder. On the other hand, he had also wondered if he might have left it there on purpose so that Joey would find it.

Seto let out another sigh. If that had really been the case, then his subconscious had taken control at that moment. It didn’t matter anymore, because now, it couldn’t be helped, and he blond had tried over and over again to get him to do something about the letters, but he had been able to successfully resist so far. At least from Mokuba, he had managed to hide it up until now.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door and - unsurprising for Seto - Joey stuck his head through the door. Seto could see immediately that the blond was frowning, barely having caught a glimpse of Seto.

„Hey, you okay, Seto?“ Joey took a step into his office and closed the door behind him as he walked towards him in quiet steps. The brunet took a deep breath, then, put a slight smile on his lips, hoping it would distract Joey enough to unobtrusively make the opened envelope disappear into the wastebasket.

„Yeah, just a lot of work to take care of, that’s all,“ Seto replied, but that didn’t seem to dispel Joey’s scepticism. He narrowed his eyes a little, and again, there was a deep wrinkle between his eyebrows as he said, „Is that so? Let’s talk about why you’re lying to me right now then.“

Joey crossed his arms in front of his body and leaned sideways against a wall, his eyes fixed expectantly on Seto, one eyebrow raised slightly. Once again, a smile settled on Seto’s lips, the only difference being that this time, it was actually genuine. The brunet had to shake his head a little - how Joey always managed to see right through him was quite breathtaking. But he also knew him better than any other person.

When the taller one continued to remain silent, Joey pushed himself off the wall with a sigh and sat down on the table in front of Seto, who immediately scooted his office chair closer to Joey and rested his hands on the blond’s thighs. Joey eyed him suspiciously again, then said, „It’s a new letter, isn’t it?“

Seto didn’t really have to say anything in reply because his eyes would do that job for him anyway. Still, he nodded slightly, and a moment later, he felt Joey’s hands on his. The suspicion had disappeared from the blond’s eyes and had by now given way to concern, closely followed by a tinge of anger. He raised a hand, and before Seto knew it, he was flicking it against his forehead.

„No more secrets, remember? I really don’t like it when you try to hide things from me.“ Joey actually looked quite annoyed, and Seto couldn’t blame him for that. Sighing, he pulled himself even closer to the table and rested his head on Joey’s thighs before replying, „I know, puppy. But I don’t want you to worry unnecessarily.“

Joey was silent at first, then exhaled loudly once and started stroking Seto through his hair. „Even if that’s the case, I want you to tell me. Okay? Please, promise me.“

Seto closed his eyes, enjoying the blond’s touch, who was still caressing his head tenderly, and nodded. „Okay. But it’s really nothing you should worry about.“

Now, Joey turned Seto’s head so that he had to look at him, and immediately, he could read the exact emotion on the blond’s face that he hadn’t meant to trigger. „I see it differently, Seto. Are you sure you don’t wanna get the police involved? I don’t want anything to happen to you.“ Worry lines spread all over Joey’s face as Seto now stood up and took Joey’s head in both hands.

„I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about that, that’s what I have my security staff for. Besides, I don’t want this to get out to the public. That would only make things worse.“

„But...“

„No ‚but‘, Joey. That’s my final word.“ Still, all his reservations were clearly written on Joey’s face. Therefore, Seto now pulled the latter’s face towards him and gave him a tender kiss, and when they disengaged again, Joey’s state of mind already seemed a little softer.

A smile settled on Seto’s lips, and as he gently stroked the spot under Joey’s right ear with his thumb, he asked, „But you know what we should worry about instead?“

His desperate attempt to change the subject made the blond grin wryly, but apparently, he now gave up completely on discussing the issue around the letters in more detail. „What?“ asked Joey, the amusement quite obvious in his voice.

Seto smiled contentedly as he replied, „Mokuba’s birthday. It’s already in a week. Any idea what we could get him?“

Joey leaned forward a little, hugged Seto at the waist and rested his head against Seto’s chest. He seemed to ponder, muttering a quick ‚Hmm‘ before suggesting a few moments later, „How about a trip to Kaiba-Land? We haven’t done that in ages. Now that I think about it, just once, right before Christmas last year. Can you still remember that?“

At that, Seto had to laugh, and he lifted Joey’s chin so he had to look at him again. „Of course I can still remember it. How could I not?“

Seto’s words didn’t miss their mark, bringing that sweet smile to Joey’s face that the brunet would never be able to resist. He leaned down to him and gave him another loving kiss, while Joey wrapped his arms around him a little tighter.

When they broke away from each other again, Joey asked, „Or is Kaiba-Land too unimaginative? After all, you guys own the place anyway.“

Seto brushed a blond strand out of Joey’s forehead before replying, „No, I think that would be a pretty good idea. After all, the new attractions are always installed in the spring, and Mokuba hasn’t even seen them yet. I think he might enjoy it. I would maybe buy him another present anyway. I’ll think of something.“

Joey then rose from the desk, put his arms around Seto’s neck and pulled him a little closer again so that the tips of their noses could almost touch. „Okay, sounds like a plan. Now, what are we gonna do with the rest of the night?“

Seto grinned and pulled Joey closer to him. In a seductive voice, he asked, „Hmm, I don’t know, do you have a suggestion?“

Joey stood slightly on tiptoe to better reach Seto’s face, and just before their lips met, he replied, „I’d know something.“

A few days later, a farewell party was held for Joey at the cafe where he had previously worked. It had been the last few days Joey had helped out there, as he would now be starting his job at the orphanage. Even a few days before the party, Seto had noticed in Joey that it had made him a little melancholy, but the brunet had also known how much this work there had meant to him. Sometimes, he asked himself if it had been a mistake to suggest Joey work at the orphanage. After all, it had put him in the awkward position of having to make a choice, to begin with. But in the end, Seto had realised that it had been the right decision, after all, because Joey had quite quickly come to the conclusion that working at the orphanage was exactly the right thing for him.

Joey had asked Seto to come to the party as well. The brunet was not very fond of celebrations of any kind, but to deny Joey a wish was almost impossible. On the way to Joey’s previous place of work, Seto had quickly bought a birthday present for Mokuba - a new mobile phone. By now, his little brother was really old enough to own a phone of the latest generation. In the beginning, Seto had only allowed him slightly older phones to see if he wouldn’t lose them non-stop. Seto hated spending money unnecessarily, even if the money for a phone didn’t really hurt him. Still, if Mokuba had needed a new one all the time, it would have been a waste of money to always give him the fanciest, newest phones. But he had earned Seto’s trust and was actually very careful with his possessions. And the brunet knew that he would now be granting Mokuba a little heartfelt wish, and he was already looking forward to the beaming smile it would bring. He left the present in the car, opened the door and made his way into the small building.

Just as he opened the door to the cafe and entered, a shower of colourful confetti trickled down on Joey. His puppy stood in the midst of his - now former - colleagues, who fired the confetti cannons at him one after the other, and Seto got some too. Then, when Joey turned to him, he had that heartwarming smile on his lips again, and the speed of Seto’s heartbeats matched the melody of the fast jazz song in the background.

Seto was taken by the hand by Joey and pulled further into the room and greeted with friendly smiles by everyone present. He nodded to them, but the corners of his mouth did not move upwards as he did so. Seeing that would forever be reserved for his puppy. And sometimes Mokuba, too, at least when he wasn’t getting into mischief. But he was talking about Mokuba Kaiba here - when had that ever happened?

The mood was exuberant, there was drinking, eating, talking, but Seto, as at all the other parties, kept very much in the background, sitting alone at a table in the corner, while Joey talked animatedly with his colleagues. Meanwhile, the brunet was busy making the final preparations for Mokuba’s birthday in Kaiba-Land in a few days and sent several messages to some of his employees.

He was so absorbed that he didn’t even notice Joey sitting down at the table. It was only when Joey cleared his throat that Seto looked up and saw the blond grinning cheekily, just before he took his hand and stroked it gently. „Hey,“ Joey said, and the cheeky grin turned into a gentle one. The corners of Seto’s mouth twitched upwards, and after a quick glance in every direction, it was safe to say that no one was watching them, so he followed his impulse and returned the smile. „Hey,“ he mirrored Joey’s greeting and set the phone aside. He knew how much it bothered the blond when he held it in front of his face when his puppy wanted to talk to him. Seto didn’t always give in, but since the very most had been prepared anyway, there was no reason not to this time. Besides, he wanted to give Joey a nice last day at the cafe, and even though he still appreciated their little arguments in everyday life, he didn’t have to provoke it at this moment.

„Having fun, my puppy?“ asked Seto, immediately taking note of how Joey’s eyes sparkled and shone even more. With a euphoric undertone, the blond replied, „Yes, a lot! Thank you for coming, it means a lot.“ He faltered for a brief moment before now taking Seto’s second hand as well and looking deeper into his eyes. „As hard as it is for me to say goodbye here, I’m really looking forward to my future. Our future.“

Their fingers intertwined, their gaze continuing relentlessly on each other. What would the future hold for them both? What exactly would it look like? What kind of wishes and ideas did Joey actually have about the future? Seto resolved to ask all this at some point, but also to think about what he imagined for his own life. Until now, it had always consisted of Mokuba and KaibaCorp, but since the blond whirlwind in front of him had taken his heart by storm and crept into his life just like that, he had also had to rearrange his world. However, he had to admit that it had neither been difficult for him nor had he minded much. Joey was the love of his life, he knew that, and whatever their future looked like, they would spend it together. And that was all that mattered.

„Shall we go?“, Joey interrupted his train of thought. Seto nodded - he hadn’t realised how late it had gotten - and gave Joey all the time he needed to say goodbye to his colleagues. He heard Joey promise them to drop by from time to time, albeit no longer as a staff member but as a guest. And if Joey wanted, Seto would gladly accompany him. The cafe had charm, and even if Joey made a not inconsiderable contribution to the positive atmosphere, it was also in itself a nice place to linger. Not that Seto ever cared much about pointlessly wasting time in one place. But with Joey by his side, there was no such thing as wasted time - it was always meaningful.

After Joey had said goodbye to everyone, they walked out together while the bell at the entrance rang for the last time for the blond when he hadn’t been a normal guest. The sun had already set and they were greeted by the light of the stars and a soft evening breeze, which was also still quite warm. At the height of summer, Japan could become unbearably hot, so Seto couldn’t wait to get into the air-conditioned limousine.

And while they were on their way to the car, they perceived a dark figure in front of them and hesitated. Seto immediately had the feeling that something was wrong. The person stood in such a way that he could only be vaguely discerned, like a shadow in the night, and yet there was something threatening about it. They had stopped, even though the person hadn’t said anything yet, and unconsciously, Seto had stood slightly in front of Joey.

Then, and Seto couldn’t tell how much time had passed until now, the shadow spoke the first words. „Hello, Mr Kaiba.“ Seto squinted his eyes, hoping to make out more of the person, but it was no use. Still, the voice seemed familiar somehow. Did they know each other?

The man in front of them now took a few steps towards them, and in the light of the street lamps, Seto could see that he was masked and completely dressed in black. He obviously did not want to be recognised or to attract much attention. „I hope you enjoyed my letters.“ Seto’s eyes widened and he could see out of the corner of his eye that Joey inhaled sharply. For a split second, he looked over at him. He looked nervous. Seto took a deep breath. He had to keep calm and try to defuse the situation.

So he replied, „I received the letters. I just don’t know exactly what you wanted to achieve with them. Or who you are and what you want from me.“ Hateful laughter, then the man replied, „I want you to suffer, Mr Kaiba. Just as I have suffered.“

Seto still didn’t really know what was actually happening. That he certainly had some enemies was not surprising. But what harm had he done to this man? He could not remember ever having done personal, or rather physical, harm to anyone. Perhaps a competitor from another company? Someone he had beaten in a duel? Who was this man?

Only two short clicking sounds brought Seto back to reality - and he suddenly became aware that a gun was pointed at him. He felt his breath catch and for a second, he could not move. He didn’t know what this was all about, but he had to somehow de-escalate the whole situation.

„I still don’t know what exactly you want from me, but I’m sure we can find a solution if you put the gun down,“ Seto explained, but the man only laughed maliciously.

„You can’t ignore me now, can you? But you know what? It’s too late. And you’re gonna suffer the consequences for it right here and now.“

And when the attacker waved the gun from Seto to Joey as if in slow motion, Seto immediately panicked. Without even batting an eyelid, he shoved Joey aside, just in time before the man fired the gun just a blink of an eye later and there was a loud bang.

Seto immediately felt a sharp pain in his chest, he instantly had difficulty breathing. He felt a warm liquid on his hands - and it was red. And just a split second later, the world around him went black.

~~~~

Time seemed to stand still as Joey watched Seto go down, just nanoseconds after he had pushed him aside. He had heard the gunshot, but now, suddenly, all sound was gone. It was so quiet. Everything was muffled. The only sound he could perceive was his heartbeat in his ears, the rush of his blood. His breathing was rapid and choppy.

He was still sitting on the floor on which he had just rudely landed, with his hands propped up and his gaze fixed on Seto. For a brief moment, he had seen the pain flicker across Seto’s face before he had collapsed and passed out. But Joey still could do nothing. He was paralysed, unable to move even an inch from the spot, even as the cobblestone floor outside the cafe filled more and more with Seto’s blood.

Joey’s breathing quickened and his throat tightened. He wanted to scream, but no sound left his throat. He wanted to lunge at Seto, to shake him so he would wake up, but his limbs wouldn’t move. He wanted to cry, to let the emotion out, but he couldn’t. His whole body did not obey him. He was his own prisoner, lost in the depths of his panic and shock.

He felt like he was in a dream that he himself could not control. He could make out individuals running frantically back and forth between him and Seto, but his vision kept blurring before his eyes. He was unable to focus on a point, seeing only the red liquid in front of him, which seemed to be steadily increasing. Again and again, he was addressed, but the words did not fully reach him.

Why was it that he could not help Seto? What was wrong with him? He had to do something, _anything_! His whole insides exploded with pain. What if Seto...

At that moment, part of the knot inside him burst and it was as if Joey had awoken from a hundred-year sleep. His vision became clearer, he perceived all the sounds more clearly, heard many people shouting in confusion. He noticed the sirens of the ambulance coming closer and closer. Joey’s eyes gradually filled with tears, which then flowed down his face in great streams. But even as the paramedics hoisted Seto onto a large gurney, Joey could not move, he could still only follow what was happening, but with each passing second, his senses sharpened more and more.

Then, the emergency paramedics turned to him. „Mr Wheeler, are you all right? Are you hurt?“ Joey could do no more than shake his head, his gaze still fixed and shocked on Seto, who laid motionless on the gurney.

„Mr Wheeler, we need to take you to the hospital to get you checked,“ he was addressed again, and he let the young man pull him up. They followed the other paramedics who were now transporting Seto into the ambulance, and Joey got in too. He was surprised that he managed to move now after all, but he quickly realised that he was more or less dragged in the right direction by both arms by the other paramedics and taken into the van as well.

The time to the hospital passed agonisingly slowly. He was spoken to, again and again, his blood pressure was taken and various examinations carried out, but he continued to stare at Seto, who clearly had to endure more. The paramedics had managed to stop the bleeding to some extent. Seto wore a breathing mask, sensors were attached all over his body and he was hooked up to an IV so that a tube left his arm. A monitor that beeped on and off in the background showed his vital signs, and Joey’s gaze now wandered to this device. It was not hard to see that Seto’s blood pressure and pulse were far too low, as was his body temperature.

Joey was again seized by a panic, and before he could properly realise it himself, he burst into tears and sobbed uncontrollably. He felt as if he couldn’t breathe, as if a lump had lodged itself in his throat, blocking the way of air into his lungs. He felt himself start to shake and was overcome with the feeling that he was about to throw up.

He held a hand over his mouth to prevent himself from doing so when suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. „We’ll do everything we can, Mr Wheeler,“ he heard one of the paramedics say, and with a tear-blurred look, he looked him in the face. He could see a hint of desperation in the man’s eyes, and that could only mean one thing - it wasn’t certain Seto would make it.

Arriving at the hospital, Joey regained some strength in his limbs to some extent. He got out of the ambulance together with the paramedics and Seto, still lying on the stretcher, and did not leave his side. Together with the emergency workers, he ran through a jumble of corridors, at least that’s how it seemed to Joey. When suddenly, one of Seto’s hands slipped off the stretcher, Joey immediately took it in his - it was ice cold, and that sent a chilling shiver down Joey’s spine before the next panic attack hit him.

With eyes wide open set on Seto, he became vaguely aware of a doctor joining the group and talking to the paramedics about Seto’s condition. He picked up a few scraps of words, which again forced all the air out of his lungs.

„His condition is critical.“

„He needs to go to the OR right away.“

„Nurse, get everything ready as fast as possible.“

A door opened in front of them as if automatically, and just as Joey was about to go through with them, he was stopped by the doctor. „You can’t come in, Mr Wheeler. We need to operate on Mr Kaiba as soon as possible. Please wait out here and I’ll contact you as soon as we know more. I’ll send a nurse to check on you.“

At that moment, Joey let Seto’s hand slip from his own, and the doctor disappeared with the hospital staff. And as the door closed again in front of Joey, he felt the despair and pain of not knowing what was about to happen in every cell of his body.

Just before he could slump on the floor, he managed to sit down on a chair in the middle of a row of chairs at the edge of the hallway. He propped his head up on his elbows, which he rested on his thighs, and now let all the tears, as well as his thoughts, run free.

Why had Seto done this? Why had he thrown himself in front of him? The attacker had clearly had it in for him. Everything had happened so quickly. It had been Seto who had had the conversation with the man, but even if Joey had wanted to, he couldn’t have made a sound. The shadowy figure had already seemed creepy to him when he was still at a distance, but as soon as he had pointed a gun at Seto, and ultimately at him, he had fallen into a state of shock from which he had been unable to break out.

Who was this man anyway? Had Seto recognised him? If Joey had understood correctly, he was probably the sender of the threatening letters Seto had received recently. He had said something about wanting to do the same harm to Seto as he had experienced himself. Did they know each other? What had led him to resort to such drastic means?

Suddenly, an irrepressible rage seized him against this monster who had done this to Seto. Because it didn’t matter at all what had happened between them - it shouldn’t have come to this. And anyway, where had Seto’s damn security staff been, now that they needed them so badly? Joey was getting hot and he felt like he was about to go insane. He would have liked to slam his fist into the rock-hard wall in front of him, over and over again, hoping that all his rage and, at the same time, the despair would decrease. But that would be nothing more than wishful thinking. It wouldn’t help Seto now either. Nor would it undo what had happened.

Joey’s gaze was down at his thighs, his hands now clenched into fists on them as his anger at the attacker was suddenly directed at someone else - himself. What was he actually deluding himself about here? It was _him_ who had failed to help Seto when he had needed him most. _He_ had let him down when he had lain unconscious and bleeding on the floor. Had not been able to move, even if he had wanted to so much. Would Seto have had a better chance if he had been able to bring himself to do it? If he could have pulled himself together? If he had just, for fuck’s sake, stood up and rushed to his aid?

Half sobbing, half laughing, Joey snorted, and the contempt on himself became quite obvious in his tone. No, his guilt began much earlier. He had already let him down when he hadn’t been consistent enough in insisting that Seto should involve the police. He should have known better. Seto had always dismissed the letters as empty threats, but it had never sounded that way to Joey. Why hadn’t he just acted himself? Why hadn’t he just called the police himself? It was his fault, everything Seto was going through now, he was only suffering because Joey hadn’t had the fucking courage to take appropriate action against the letters. And if Seto died now, he would never be able to forgive himself.

„...ey!...oey! Joey!“ He looked up and saw Mokuba standing in front of him, shaking him. How long had the shorter one been here? How long had he been trying to get Joey out of his mind? And how had he found out he was here in the first place?

Mokuba quickly solved this mystery when he said, „The hospital called me and I got here as fast as I could. Are you okay Joey?“

If... if he was okay? Why was that relevant? It was Seto who was now fighting for his life in the operating room, not Joey, although _he_ was supposed to be there in his place.

Only a second later, he felt his stomach contents running up his oesophagus, and just in time, he lunged for the bin next to the row of chairs and let everything out of his mouth until there was nothing left and only stomach acid came out. His throat was burning, as were his eyes, which were still inexorably flooded with tears.

Joey now finally collapsed on the floor. He didn’t want to get up, he had no strength left. It was _he_ who should have died. Not Seto. Oh God, what if he never saw the love of his life again? How would he be able to go on living? How could he ever face Mokuba again? Or anyone else? How would he ever be able to cope with the guilt that all this had happened because of him?

Joey’s desperate cries echoed in all the hallways of the hospital, while Mokuba wrapped his arms around him and also gave in to his loud sobs. He heard Mokuba saying something again and again, but his words did not reach him. He could not understand their meaning because everything in his head was spinning, and the pain he felt, all the fear, left no room for other thoughts. All he could think about was the man with the ice-blue eyes, lonely and alone, fighting for survival in this damn operating room.

Seto, his dragon - he had rescued him so many times in his life, over and over again. And now, it had been Joey who had been unable to save him. And Joey knew - if he never saw Seto again, if he actually died and disappeared from his life forever, then his own existence would be over too. Because everything that gave it meaning would be gone. Because he would then have lost everything that had ever been worth fighting for. But if that should happen, he knew what to do. And this time, there would be no one to stop him - because the only one who had ever done it would no longer be there. And should all this really become reality and make this step necessary, Joey knew - they would be reunited in the end. If only in death.


	29. Rescue me... Stay with me!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick note, because it appears in the chapter: The Tanabata festival is traditionally celebrated on July 7th. Wishes are written on a colourful sheet of paper and hung on bamboo trees/branches in the hope that they will come true.
> 
> ~~~~
> 
> Music inspiration for this chapter:
> 
> Una Mattina - Magnus Eriksson (Instrumental)
> 
> Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/5WPf0jHdwJpAR3t5FLamms?si=MwHiYbuZTnSFRPU_3WLIkg  
> YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeW6qJqj68k
> 
> ~~~~

Joey did not know how long he had ended up sitting in that hallway. Time had passed at a snail’s pace, in stark contrast to the speed of his heart, which was still beating furiously behind his chest. At some point, a nurse had appeared and examined him. He had been so mentally absent that he had just let it wash over him. Inside, he was absolutely empty.

After he had let out all the emotions, there was nothing left. Only complete darkness had remained in his mind. This darkness slowly spread, bit by bit, all over his body, and he knew that when Seto died, it would take over his entire life. Not a single source of light would remain.

Mokuba had been watching him the entire time with a worried look, Joey could see that out of the corner of his eye. After the extensive examination, the nurse had determined that he had experienced nothing more than a mental shock, but was physically unharmed. But was it like that really? Joey could not necessarily agree. Nothing about him was unscathed. Everything hurt: his heart behind his chest weighed heavily, his lungs like lead, his throat so constricted he could hardly breathe. His body was covered in a never-ending wave of pain, and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.

The nurse wanted to give him sedatives, but he refused - what good would that do? What good would it do him now if his heart started beating more calmly again? That wouldn’t help Seto either. Besides, he had the feeling that he would then drift even more into nirvana with his attention if he let himself be pumped full of medication now. However, he wanted to be clear in his mind if they were to get new information from the doctor about Seto’s condition, even if Joey didn’t know how much time would pass until then. Or what that report would look like.

What would happen if Seto died? From a purely objective point of view, there would probably be quite a stir. He would be besieged by journalists but wouldn’t be able to answer any of their questions because he himself didn’t know what had actually happened or how they had gotten themselves into this situation. There would be a funeral, probably Mokuba would say a few words, as would Joey. And then, it would be over. And he would be faced with a choice he never wanted: a life without Seto, or their reunion in the afterlife, whatever that would look like.

The metaphorical noose around Joey’s neck tightened until he almost couldn’t breathe. He knew there was really only one option if Seto didn’t make it. How would it feel to stand on that skyscraper for a third time, knowing that there was nothing and no one left that could save him? Would Seto watch him do it, wherever he was at that moment? How would the wind feel on Joey’s skin as he flew, if only for a few seconds? Would he want to fall forward like he had tried the first two times? No, this time, he would want to do it differently - with his back to the ground, looking up at the sky, because if Seto was actually watching him from up there, he wanted to look him in the eye as he did so. Even if that would be a little unfair - after all, Seto could see him, but not the other way around.

What would the sky look like if he did it? Would a star shine particularly brightly so Joey knew where to look? Or would it rain, like it did the very first time, and if so, was it Seto’s tears over Joey not having the courage to move on with this life? Despite the overwhelming amount of questions, he knew one thing for sure: he would not die alone. He would be with him, and that somehow gave him a special peace. 

He remembered the first time when Seto had shown up with the helicopter and more or less presented him with a fait accompli. How he wished that would happen the third time if it came to that. That Seto would just show up, even if in his usual arrogant Kaiba manner again. And then, they would start all over again. There was nothing Joey wanted more now. Hit the reset button, back to the beginning, back to that fateful evening of November 6th the previous year when their journey together had begun. If Joey had the chance to relive it all again, he would do it to correct all the mistakes he had made along the way. So that they could have a life together. So that they could stay together forever. So that they would have nothing to fear because they had the certainty that nothing and no one would ever be able to separate them.

Joey’s whole body convulsed with pain and he could only suppress a sob with great difficulty. How stupid of him. All his thoughts were just dumb. Of course, he would never have that opportunity. If Seto died, then his path would end there too. He would not have the strength to live a life where he no longer existed. He had only developed a will to survive _with_ him and _through_ him anyway. And if he disappeared, just like that, then it too would vanish into thin air.

Yes, he would know what to do at that moment. But nothing was certain yet, he could still hope. He just had to try to cling to this tiny spark of hope, that was all he really had left. He had to accept whatever came, even if he wanted nothing more than for the love of his life to stay with him. But he had no control over that. Not anymore.

At some point, when the nurse had long since left, he heard Mokuba sigh beside him - and Joey’s guilty conscience, which he had previously only had in relation to Seto, now extended to Mokuba as well. Damn it, Joey had been so preoccupied with his own pain that he had totally blocked out how Mokuba must be feeling now, and it gave him another stab in the heart.

He looked over at Mokuba. The shorter one looked exhausted, and who could blame him? He sat to his left, bent over, forearms propped on his thighs, eyes downcast. He wasn’t crying, but his tense face clearly revealed what it must look like inside him right now.

Remorse caught up with Joey again, and when he felt the tears coming back, he had to turn away. He bit his lower lip until he felt the metallic taste of his blood on his tongue. Only then did he let it go again.

He felt he had to say something. Anything really. „Mokuba, I’m... I’m so sorry...“ Joey said because it was the first thing that had occurred to him, and he couldn’t stop himself from starting to sob again. Covering his eyes with his palms, he just couldn’t bring himself to look Mokuba straight in the face right now. What a miserable coward he was. His mouth twisted and he fought with all his might against crying uncontrollably.

Then, he heard Mokuba sigh again, and a short time later, his voice as well, when he said, „Joey, it’s not your fault, okay?“ It was only at that moment that Joey realised that Mokuba knew nothing about the letters so far. The blond got scared. If he knew, would he hate him? For not doing enough himself, which was the reason Seto might not have long to live now?

He had to give it a try. The shorter one deserved the truth. Joey’s gaze was downcast, his hair fell in his face so that he could barely see. He clasped his hands in his lap, his eyes on his intertwined fingers, then, he told Mokuba about the letters and the attack. 

Again, he was overcome by the feeling that _he_ should now be on the operating table instead of Seto. He didn’t deserve to sit here and breathe freely. _He_ was supposed to die, not Seto, not the man who had such a glorious future ahead of him. What was his own life worth? It would be no great loss to humanity if Joey were gone, quite the opposite of what it would be like if Seto suddenly disappeared. Joey’s life was nothing more than that of a mayfly, gliding through life completely aimless and haphazard, a life that could hardly be of lesser importance. It was Seto who gave this life meaning in the first place. Without him, it would be absolutely meaningless.

After Joey’s monologue, there was silence for a while. What was probably only minutes seemed like hours to Joey. He only looked up again when he felt a hand on his shoulder - Mokuba’s hand. He looked up at him now, and Mokuba’s features, contrary to all his expectations, showed no anger. No, they were rather gentle, even if he could not hide his sadness about what had happened. But that was no great surprise to Joey either.

„I know my brother can be quite a stubborn man, Joey. As I understand it, you did try to convince him otherwise.“

„Yeah, but it wasn’t enough! I should have done more! I should have known this would end badly!“ Just as Joey was about to sink back into himself and his self-pity, looking like a picture of misery, Mokuba stood in front of him, grabbed him by both shoulders and pushed him up so that the blond finally had to face the shorter one after all. His look was a little angry - yes, that was exactly what Joey had expected. And damn it, he _should_ be angry. Joey had really screwed up, and if he could, he would do anything to undo that mistake. But now, it was too late.

Suddenly, Mokuba started shaking Joey before saying in a firm tone, „Joey. Let me make this very clear: _It. Is. Not. Your. Fault!_ Do you know who is to blame for all this? The person who shot my brother, and only him! And I don’t care how we do it, but we will bring that man to justice, come what may!“

Dumbfounded, he looked at Mokuba. It was amazing how similar he was to Seto. It wasn’t the first time he’d noticed that, and it probably wouldn’t be the last, but it was impressive. It was probably just as hard a day for him in his life so far, but he demonstrated a strength that Joey would never have like that. It was enviable.

Mokuba sat back in the chair next to him, crossing his arms and looking lost in thought. Then, his eyes fixed on a spot on the opposite wall, he asked, „Do you know who the attacker was?“

Joey thought for a moment. In his mind, the dark figure who had ambushed them outside the cafe appeared again. Nothing about him seemed familiar to Joey, not even his voice. Who was this man and why had he attacked them in the first place? He felt anger and despair rise up inside him. Why hadn’t Joey stopped him when he could have? That fucking bastard...

With his hands clenched into fists, he answered Mokuba’s question. „No, but I think Seto recognised him. At least, that’s how it seemed to me. They certainly seemed to know each other, but I don’t know how. Can you think of anyone Seto has had any stress with lately?“

Mokuba puffed contemptuously before replying, „How much time do you have? The list is long. And it could probably be any one of them.“ He sighed. „I’m afraid we’ll have to hope Seto can make it and hopefully tell us more.“

At that moment, Mokuba seemed to really become aware of the situation for the first time. That Seto’s life was on a knife edge right now. Joey could see his eyes suddenly widen, his lower lip begin to quiver just before the first tears rolled down his cheeks. He had to be strong for him now, just as Mokuba had just been for him.

He pulled the shorter boy into a hug and for a few minutes, Mokuba sobbed unrestrainedly against his chest. After that, it became very quiet. Everyone was lost in thought. Seconds turned into minutes, minutes into hours, and Joey could feel the fatigue in every limb, but he fought his natural need for sleep as best he could. He couldn’t risk not being awake when they found out how the surgery had turned out.

As the first rays of sunlight announced the next day, the door opened and a doctor stepped out. He was briefly surprised to see Mokuba but quickly regained his composure. He too looked exhausted, which was not surprising. The operation had taken many hours.

Joey jumped up right at the second when he spotted the doctor. „How is he? Is he...“ He didn’t dare finish the question, but he saw the doctor nod, and for a second, relief spread through him. At least until the doctor explained, „Yes, we were able to operate on Mr Kaiba successfully. He was very lucky - no major blood vessels were hit, otherwise, he probably couldn’t have been saved. Still, he lost a lot of blood. That’s why...“

For a moment, he looked back and forth between them a little uncertainly. Joey didn’t understand at all what he was trying to imply and a renewed wave of panic gripped him. „What happened? What’s wrong with him?“

The doctor sighed, then went on to explain, „That’s why we had to put him in an induced coma. It’s more or less a precautionary measure and meant to stabilise him and take the pressure off his body. I can’t say exactly yet how long we will have to maintain the coma because it depends a lot on how well he recovers. But I expect it to be at least a few days, or weeks if necessary. In rare cases, it could be months, but I wouldn’t assume that for now, based on his injuries.“

Joey and Mokuba were equally shocked. „So... and what does that mean now? What happens now?“ asked Joey, his mind in chaos. Was Seto’s life still in danger? Was it not over yet? When would he be allowed to see him?

His confused train of thought was abruptly interrupted when the doctor replied, „Well, we can only wait and see for now. He needs one thing above all now, namely rest. But you may also visit him, that might even help.“

Joey immediately felt relief. He would see him again. Oh God, Seto was still there. He hadn’t just disappeared from his life. He didn’t know what exactly to expect from the next time now, but at least Seto had survived. That was already more than he had dared to hope for just a few minutes ago. With one hand, he had to brace himself against a nearby wall to avoid falling over. For a few moments, he had to take a deep breath while individual tears gave expression to the feeling of release within him. Only when he felt Mokuba take his free hand, presumably because he himself also needed a little more strength right now, did the blond collect himself again.

„Can he hear us when we talk to him, then?“ asked Joey of the doctor, who then scratched the back of his head thoughtfully. „Possibly. There have been patients who could remember something that happened while they were in a coma, although that’s rare. Don’t expect a reaction to it, though.“

„And what are the chances of recovery?“ now Mokuba asked a question, if not _the_ most important of all. Joey had noticed the tremor in his voice, and Joey’s body was also pumped full of adrenaline, making him shiver. He felt Mokuba’s handshake intensify and Joey did the same. The blond had completely blocked it out for the last few hours, had virtually only been preoccupied with himself, but now, he knew he wasn’t alone. Neither was Mokuba. They would get through this together because whatever came, they would be able to give each other strength. Joey would just have to let it happen, or he would rot in his snail shell, lonely and alone.

When the doctor spoke again, Joey’s attention shifted from Mokuba to the man in the white coat. „I think they’re good. As soon as Mr Kaiba has stabilised, we’ll start the recovery phase, and only then will we know more. I’ll let you know about that when the time comes, but I think, for now, it’s important for you to know that he’s alive and well under the circumstances, even if he’s still very weak. He will get all the care he needs. Go home, for today, he should get some more rest.“

The doctor said goodbye, and while they looked after the man who had saved Seto’s life, both of them could not move for a few seconds. Simultaneously, they turned to each other and all the dams collapsed. Joey pulled Mokuba into a fervent embrace and they cried all the tears of relief their bodies wanted to give. Only when their sobs had completely dried up did they disengage from each other again and leave the hospital together.

They went back to the mansion, even though Joey wanted nothing more than to be with Seto, but he knew he couldn’t right now and that he really needed the rest. Somehow, he managed to get through the day, even if he did nothing but lie in bed and stare holes in the air. As night fell, he realised that it felt quite similar to when they had been apart for a short time. Only this time, it was _he_ who slept in the mansion, not Seto. Joey turned on his side and looked at the empty space next to him. It was so lonely without his dragon by his side. He reached out and gently stroked the spot where Seto would usually lay. He closed his eyes and imagined he was there. Dreamed of Seto taking his hand and kissing it tenderly. How he pulled him into an embrace and gently stroked his back. How he whispered in his ear how much he loved him.

And while he thought of the pair of ice-blue eyes, he was possessed by exhaustion. His body was now finally surrendering to the need for sleep that he had not been getting for the past two days. That night, Joey dreamed of all the beautiful moments with Seto from the past few months - and he hoped they would get the chance to make more positive memories together.

The next few days actually always looked the same for the blond. Joey went to see Seto at the hospital every day. Mokuba, in the meantime, had thankfully made sure that the paparazzi were kept at bay by their security staff, so he could spend most of his time with Seto undisturbed. Actually, Mokuba had taken care of a surprising amount of things because Joey was so apathetic at times that he was barely responsive himself. The only thing Joey had managed to do in the last few days was to let the orphanage know and explain what had happened. Mrs Nakamura had been extremely understanding - she had seen it on the news herself - and had told him to take all the time he needed. He was incredibly grateful for that because right now, he felt absolutely unable to do his work the way he would expect himself to do it.

When he had first seen Seto on the hospital bed, one day after his surgery, Joey had been more than shocked. He had looked pale, as if all life had been sucked out of his veins. Tubes and cables were attached all over his body. He was wearing a breathing mask connected to an appropriate respirator. A feeding tube and a drip with IVs provided nutrients. The doctors had also explained to Joey that he was covered by a cooling blanket to lower his body temperature. This would slow down the metabolism and reduce oxygen consumption, so that the body had more of its own reserves or did not have to use them up, which would contribute to a further and hopefully quick recovery.

At first, he had hardly been able to look at him because the sight of him had been unbearable. It was only on the second day after the operation that he had started to talk to Seto because he had simply not known what to say before. Until he had just started talking without thinking about it. He wasn’t sure if Seto caught a word of what he was saying, but maybe it helped a little anyway.

Now, it was the fourth day after the surgery, and Joey heard his mobile vibrating as he sat in a chair next to Seto’s bed. The blond glanced at the phone screen and realised he had a message from his friends - again. They had been trying to reach him through all channels for the last few days, but Joey had kept a pretty low profile. He had sent a short message explaining what had happened, even though they had certainly already heard it through the news, but he had been incredibly sparing with other communication. He simply hadn’t had the strength to reply. He hardly slept a wink at night and otherwise spent every free minute with Seto. The doctors had told him that things were steadily improving and he was stabilising more and more, but that he was lying here so helpless and defenceless was still hard for Joey to bear.

At that moment, the mobile vibrated again but for much longer, and Joey then realised why: Yugi was calling him. With a sigh, he rose from his chair and left the room - albeit reluctantly - to give Seto the rest he needed. Once in the hallway, he pulled the door shut behind him and answered the call.

„Hey, Yugi,“ Joey began, „sorry for not getting back to you. It’s just been... a little much all at once.“

„Hey, Joey. Please don’t worry about it, we understand. We... we were worried about you. We’re outside the hospital, but we weren’t let through because only close relatives are allowed to see you.“

„You’re here?!“ Joey was on one hand incredibly surprised. He had thought that Yugi was long on his way to his tournament in the US, but possibly, he had mixed things up. There was a war of thoughts going on in his head at the moment anyway, so it wouldn’t surprise him. And on the other hand, he was actually glad they were here, so he decided to at least say a quick ‚hello‘ while they were there.

Joey left the hospital through the front entrance and was immediately greeted by worried expressions. He hugged his friends, and when they broke away from each other again, Yugi asked, „How are you?“

Joey sighed loudly. That was the question of all questions, and describing it in one sentence was really hard for him. But he knew he owed them an answer, so he tried to formulate one as best he could. „Well, I’m okay, given the circumstances, I would say. There’s not much I can do. I’m talking to Seto, but I have no idea if he’s even aware of me.“

„And how is Kaiba?“ asked Téa, and her expression had not lost its worry. Joey turned to her and replied, „He’s still in a coma, but the doctors say things are looking good and that he’s actually recovering faster than they thought.“

„He’s still a Kaiba after all, isn’t he? As if a Kaiba ever did anything at half speed,“ Tristan interjected, the corners of his mouth pulling into a slight grin. And sure enough, that hint of amusement carried over to Joey and the rest of the group, if only for a tiny moment. Tristan had always been good at that, taking the uncomfortable tension out of situations. And even if his jokes could be inappropriate at such moments, Joey was now glad for Tristan’s talent.

„Is there anything we can do, Joey?“ asked Yugi and all the other eyes were now also directed expectantly at the blond again. Joey shrugged his shoulders as he answered, „I don’t think so. There’s not much left to do but wait and see, I guess.“

„But if something happens, please call us, will you? Even if nothing happens. We’re your friends, and no matter what, we’ll stick together.“ Yugi added to his words with a determined look. Joey smiled for a split second. He was really glad that he had found the strength to talk to his friends now. He had spent far too much time in his own head again in the last few days, and Joey’s friends once again managed to draw him out of his shell.

He nodded to them before they said goodbye to each other and Joey went back to Seto at the hospital. He took another deep breath before opening the door to Seto’s room and slipping through. The sun was shining full force through the window on the opposite side of the room, and Seto’s face looked eerily soft from the sun’s rays, almost as if he was just sleeping. But the constant beeping of the equipment and all the devices in the room made it clear that this was not the case.

Sighing, Joey settled down again on the chair next to Seto’s bed. He took his hand and began to talk about what he had just been talking about with his friends, and when he mentioned that they had been a little worried about him too, he had to smile involuntarily. Joey could imagine only too well how Seto would react to that now.

But the smile quickly faded. He looked down at Seto and couldn’t help feeling sad again. The brunet hadn’t moved an inch in the last few days. There was not even a flicker of his eyelids. There was nothing to indicate that he was still alive except for the numbers and lines on the monitors that recorded his vital signs.

With slow movements, Joey stroked Seto’s hand, reminding himself that it would be good to talk to him. What could he talk about? There wasn’t really anything he hadn’t already told him. He knew pretty much everything about him. But suddenly, an idea came to him and he just let the thoughts run free.

„The first time I saw you in my life was at the welcome ceremony in high school. I had no idea you already had so much responsibility for your own company back then. All I remember is that you seemed quite distant. Other people were buzzing around me like moths to light even on the first day, but you were always alone. I think Mokuba was somewhere at the ceremony, and I remember that he was the only one who came closer to you. I didn’t realise it at the time, but now I know that my eyes were following you. I wanted to know why you are the way you are. Why you seem so distant. Why you are always alone. Somehow, you fascinated me even then, even though I would never, ever have said that out loud until a few months ago.“

Joey laughed. „Well, and then you spent the remaining three years acting like the biggest asshole of the country. At least until the day that was supposed to be the end of me. And then was my beginning after all.“

With an affectionate expression on his face, he looked at Seto. Still no reaction. Joey really hoped that something, even if it was just a very tiny bit, would get through to Seto. But even if the chances were small, he wouldn’t stop talking. Until he came back to him completely.

Just as he was about to start again, there was a knock at the door and Mokuba entered. With a nod, the two greeted each other and Mokuba pulled up another chair and sat down next to Joey. Turning his gaze to Seto, he asked, „How is he?“

Joey, still holding Seto’s hand tightly in his own, replied, „Unchanged.“ There wasn’t really anything more to say about that either. Mokuba too had come to the hospital every day and had seen for himself how little had happened. But deep inside, they did not give up hope that he would make it.

Just at that moment, there was another knock and Seto’s doctor entered the room, looking at the clipboard in his hand. The doctor greeted them briefly before reading Seto’s vital signs on the monitors and writing them down on the clipboard. Then, he looked Joey and Mokuba resolutely in the face before announcing, „I think it’s time to wake him up. His body has recovered and stabilised amazingly fast in the last few days.“

Joey’s eyes widened and he was overcome with emotion. Surprise mixed with joy and immediately, his heart began to race. A million questions rushed through his mind, but before he could verbalise even one of them, the doctor said, „The recovery process may take a few hours. We will gradually reduce the anaesthetics so that Mr Kaiba’s body slowly regains control of all bodily functions on its own until he regains full consciousness. At least for the initial phase, I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you both to leave the room.“

Joey nodded and rose from his seat. He looked over at Mokuba, who looked kind of thoughtful but then stood up as well and asked the doctor, „Can we come back in a couple of hours then?“

The doctor nodded. „Yes, just better not for the next hour or two. After that, it shouldn’t be a problem.“

Without thinking twice and with a confident look, Mokuba now looked at Joey. „Joey, shall we go to a shrine and write down our wishes? Today is the Tanabata festival after all. And we’ll come back here afterwards.“

The Tanabata festival... That’s right, today was July 7th. Wait, July 7th? Damn it. He had totally blanked out in the heat of the moment that today was Mokuba’s birthday.

„Mokuba, I’m totally sorry I forgot your birthday, I...“

Mokuba grinned wryly as he interrupted him, „Joey, please, there are really more important things right now. I’m gonna have so many more birthdays in my life. Don’t worry about it. Come on, let’s go.“ They nodded goodbye to the doctor and then left the hospital together.

Arriving at the shrine, Joey immediately noticed how crowded it was. It seemed everyone was out writing down their wishes and praying. He wondered what they would ask the gods for. What was it that the other people were wishing for? What was it that was troubling them?

Joey turned his gaze towards the sky for a moment. It was brilliant blue, not a cloud to be seen. It was quite a hot day, but if you stood in the shade, it was quite bearable. Every now and then, he saw a few notes flying through the air, probably wishes blown away by the light wind. The fact that the weather was so good was also a good omen. And it gave Joey hope that everything would be all right in the end.

For Joey, it was clear what he would write down as his wish. There was nothing he wanted more than for Seto to wake up from his coma and be okay. That he would make it. Joey needed his optimism now more than ever because he knew he had to be there for Seto as soon as he regained full consciousness.

So the blond wrote his wish on the appropriate piece of paper and hung it on one of the bamboo trees. For a moment, he closed his eyes and brought both palms together in front of his face. In a final prayer, he implored the gods to let Seto return to him in good health. He would make any sacrifice, if only he would not lose him.

Joey opened his eyes again and saw that Mokuba had meanwhile also pinned a wish to the tree, and he could imagine only too well that their wishes were not very different from each other. Afterwards, they made their way back to the hospital together, and Joey’s nervousness increased by the minute because he couldn’t really estimate what to expect.

Back at the hospital, they walked purposefully to Seto’s room. As soon as they opened the door, the blond could see that his ventilator had already been removed so that he could breathe on his own again. Judging from the monitors, his body temperature had already risen to some extent and his face was getting a little more colour again. However, he was not awake yet.

In the hours that followed, Joey and Mokuba sat more or less in silence at Seto’s bedside, while doctors or hospital staff were constantly busy around them. When evening came, the lights dimmed, but Joey didn’t even think of leaving the room. He would not leave here until Seto was conscious again, and a glance at Mokuba made him suspect that the latter felt the same way.

Joey was still holding Seto’s hand - and when it suddenly moved, even if only very slightly, Joey was startled, even letting out a short, squeaky cry. The blond didn’t really know what to do because he had been caught off guard. So he just watched, as did Mokuba and Seto’s doctor, and all eyes were on the brunet, who seemed to be slowly waking up from his deep sleep.

Seto blinked every now and then, but it took quite a while before he came to and was able to open his eyes fully. When he saw his boyfriend’s ice-blue eyes, for the first time in days, his own eyes became moist and he began to tremble slightly. He slid the chair even closer to Seto’s bed, his hand still on the brunet’s as he whispered, „Seto...“ His voice had been low and shaky but still loud enough that Seto must have heard it.

And then, he looked at him. Ice-blue met golden-brown. The atmosphere in the room was tense to breaking point, everyone waiting to see what would happen. But then, the brunet frowned, and his first, husky words in days echoed in the otherwise silent room for seconds afterwards.

„Who are you?“


End file.
